


Behind Golden Eyes

by TheBajaBlast



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, F/F, Panic Attack
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:20:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 26,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24708235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBajaBlast/pseuds/TheBajaBlast
Summary: Years ago they broke each other's hearts, and Ty Lee thought that was the end of it. Then Azula showed up at Ty Lee's door, near death from her injuries. While the disgraced princess is on bedrest, the two girls must confront their tumultuous past, and maybe re-discover hidden feelings along the way.Tyzula
Relationships: Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar)
Comments: 161
Kudos: 570





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Content Warning  
> Panic Attacks, Mugging, Robbery, Stabbing, Burning, Bloodloss

Azula had been spending most of her evenings at the Blazin' Moo-Sow: the shadiest night club in the Fire Nation's capital. It wasn't because she was into the club scene, _spirits no_. Everything about that seedy nightclub was beneath her - which was why it was the perfect place to hide-out. None of her pursuers would ever think to look for her here. She could lay-low in some semblance of peace.

The club was crawling with a wide variety of low-lives -- a true haven for the worst the Fire Nation had to offer. Another benefit - everyone in the club knew not to ask too many questions. Honor among thieves, or something like that. 

Typically, Azula would enter the club as it opened for the night, find a seat in the back corner where she could avoid detection, and watch. She'd carefully observe the various patrons, some who she recognized through wanted posters, and see how they spent their night. Some patrons would have shady meetings in the corner, and others would lurk, waiting to hit on any lady who unfortunately crossed their path. Mostly, people would waste their lives by getting drunk or high beyond recognition.

 _If only I was a bounty hunter,_ she'd sometimes think. She had no doubt she could take down anyone here with ease, and given the size of some of these bounties, she'd be able to finally kiss her days of sleeping outside goodbye. But no - she wouldn't stoop to something so beneath her. She may have been the Fire Nation's disgraced princess, but she still had her pride.

She'd wait in her spot until just before the club was about to close. From there, she'd slip out the back-alleyway entrance, and find somewhere she could rest until the next evening. Then she would repeat the cycle. It was a pathetic way to live, quite frankly. She constantly had to remind herself that it was a temporary arrangement, somewhere to lay-low until she figured out what her next move would be.

The club was particularly crowded that night. It was nearly impossible to move without brushing shoulders with someone. Some famous singer from the Earth Kingdom was supposed to perform - she guessed that was what drew the crowd. It made the club more unbearable than usual.

She sat in her corner, trying to think, but everything was just _too loud._ A part of her considered burning the club down for the sheer inconvenience it was causing her - but she resisted. The whole point of this was to not draw attention to herself, and torching a notorious night club in a glorious blue fire was guaranteed to lead Zuko right to her.

Still, the noise was starting to give her a headache. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She needed to be calm right now. She needed to be calm...

...it was then that a drunk man bumping into her chair. He yelped, and spilled the entirety of his beverage on her.

"Watch where you goin', bitch!" he slurred. He loomed over her, and Azula could smell the alcohol on his breath. She calmly looked into his eyes, and formed a blue ember in her fist. She should turn this drunken vagrant into ash for the disrespect. Did he know who she was?

No, of course he didn't. The former princess extinguished her flame. Instead, she stood up, and with a quick jab to the chest, she knocked the drunken-man off balance, sending him tumbling to the floor.

"Watch where you're going," she mocked, before leaving the corner. She just had to find somewhere else to be tonight. She pushed her way through the crowd, brushing shoulders with strangers at every step.

Suddenly, the crowd went silent, before erupting into cheers. That singer must have come on stage, or so she guessed. Azula couldn't see anything - being too short to get a good look.

And that's when the song began. With the singer's first note, a hush fell over the crowd. Azula felt her blood go cold. As the melody progressed, Azula recognized it as a song her mother used to sing when she was a kid. It felt like a lifetime ago she last heard that melody, but here she was, recognizing it clear as day. She clenched her fists. Wasn't she done with those awful visions? Is that what this was? Her breathing started to quicken, and she felt her heart start to beat faster.

She turned around, trying to get past the crowd. She needed to get out of here, _now_. Various people yelled at her as she hurriedly shoved passed them, but she didn't care. As soon as she got past the crowd, and ran to the alleyway entrance, slamming the door behind her.

Even out here, she could faintly hear the crowd and music through the walls. Her migraine was even heavier now. Her heart was still racing.

"Agni!" she cursed, kicking the door behind her. No, she couldn't let this unravel her, not now, not again. She paused, taking a couple of deep breaths. She was feeling calmer. She starting her walk out of the alley.

"Hey," A low, raspy voice said from behind her. She stopped, and peaked behind her. Leaning near the door was a skinny, balding man. Various scars covered his face and body, and the whites of his eyes were a sickly yellow. Even though she was still drenched in alcohol, she could smell the booze coming from him. He stumbled towards her, his eyes leering at her, "Gimme your money."

He was nothing but a drunken, amateur thief, nobody who was worth her breath. She turned back around and made her exit from the alley.

"Hey, I'm talkin' to you!" He barked at her. Azula rolled her eyes, and kept walking, "He-hey, I'm talking to you!"

Suddenly, she heard the sound of feet shuffling behind her - quickly running towards her. Before she could turn around and react, she felt a sharp pain pierce the back of her shoulders. Azula gasped. A hand grabbed her wrist, whipped her around. She felt something being pulled out of her shoulder. As she tried to yank her wrist free, his other arm jabbed at her side - and Azula felt another sharp, piercing pain.

That's when she looked down and saw the knife, it's blade in her flesh. Azula's golden eyes widened, and she gasped. With another push, the man pinned her to the wall.

"What's a pretty lady like you doing in a dangerous place like this," he taunted. He pulled the blade out from her side and placed it under her neck. She started to feel a hot wetness on her side, in the area the dagger had pierced her. However, Azula was more concerned with the feeling of the warm metal threatening to slice threw her throat. The blade was sticky with her blood.

The look on his face infuriated her. Gleeful, predatory, like he actually thought he'd won. _Pathetic._ He may have gotten the jump on her, but Azula wasn't about to let him _win._

The firebender raised her leg and kicked him in the stomach as hard as she could -- a jet of fire springing from foot for good measure. He let go of her and flew into the opposite wall. Azula touched her hand to her side, where she felt a warm liquid gushing out, oozing onto her fingers. She felt the same warm liquid streaming down her back. The smell of iron pierced the air.

She looked to her assailant, as he pushed his way back up. He smirked at her.

"Come now, don't be like that," he sneered, "let's have some fun." The knife twirled in his hand. Azula watched as blood, _her blood_ , dripped from the silver blade. She locked eyes with the man and smiled.

_He's going to die where he stands._

She watched the triumphant glint in his eyes flash into terror, as she incased the alleyway in a brilliant inferno.

Azula stood at the alley's edge, clutching her injured side. She felt the warm liquid pool over her fingers and watched the silhouette of her assailant struggle to overcome her deadly blaze. She listened as the man's screams pierced through the fire's roar. She knew she had to get out of here - she'd made too much of a scene, it was only a matter of time until the authorities came.

Still, she wanted to watch this man burn - she deserved that much.

Soon the screaming stopped, and she watched as his body fell: a pathetic end to a wasted life. Azula didn't have any more time to stick around and gloat. She had her own life to think about now.

She stumbled her way from the entrance to the street, blood dripping behind her as she walked. If she kept bleeding at this rate...there was no choice - she'd have to close the wound herself. She leaned against a nearby streetlight in order to support her weight. A shaky breath escaped her, and as she created small fires on her fingertips, she noticed how much her hand was trembling. Was she scared she might die? Or maybe she was scared of the pain she was about to inflict on herself.

It had been Iroh of all people, who taught her how to cauterize a wound. It was the day after he'd returned home from Ba Sing Se after his failed attempt to conquer the city. She was ten.

" _I pray you never have to use this technique,"_ he told her, " _but if things go wrong in battle, it might save your life."_ She rolled her eyes at her uncle and smiled.

 _"_ _Is that why cousin Lu Ten died?"_ she asked as sweetly and innocently as she could, _"Because he couldn't fix his wounds?"_

She watched as her uncle's face twitch, as he fought hard to keep his calm composure. She prided herself on knowing exactly what buttons to press to get under her tranquil uncle's skin.

But he simply smiled at her, responding with a simple _"No."_

At the time, she saw it as another useless lesson from her uncle. While it was a handy technique, it was never something she'd ever have to use on herself. Or so she had thought.

She brought the small flames to the wound on her side and held back a scream as the fire singed her skin. It was the most pain she'd ever felt in her life. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she ignored it. She had to focus on the task at hand. The smell of her burned fleshed made it's way to her nostrils - she wanted to puke.

Her hand pulled away, more shakey than before. A couple of tears betrayed her, falling down her cheeks. She took another sharp breath and pulled her hand away.

_One down, one to go..._

She turned her attention to her shoulder, finding it more painful than the last. A loud yelp escaped her lips this time, and she felt her vision getting hazy. She stumbled to the ground, the pain becoming too much.

Her vision was getting blurrier by the second - she knew she couldn't remain conscious much longer. She had to get to somewhere safe, it was the only way she was going to survive the rest of the night. But she was the disgraced princess of the Fire Nation - where could she possibly go that would be safe? She had to think, quickly.

The nearest hospital was on the other side of town, so there was no way she'd make it there in time. Besides, the moment they figured out who she was, they'd turn her into Zuko, where she'd be promptly sent back to her secluded cell. There had to be somewhere else she could go.

And that's when she remembered: _Ty Lee's house isn't too far from here._

She shook her head - no, that was ridiculous. Ty Lee was a traitor...no. After everything the acrobat had put her through, she was worse than a traitor. Azula had trusted her more than anyone else, even with her very life, and was thanked with treachery and a broken heart. Besides, Ty Lee was a Kyoshi Warrior now, there was no guarantee she'd even be home.

Azula took another steady step, and once again fell to the ground. Then again, she didn't really have another option.

She stood up, taking another deep breath. Time to pay Ty Lee a visit.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning  
> Blood, burning.

Ty Lee's childhood home had recently been converted into a base of operations for the Kyoshi Warriors. It was a perfect arrangement. Ty Lee's parents had permanently moved to the family's island getaway on Whaletail Island, and her sisters had followed in her footsteps and joined the circus.

Currently, only Ty-Lee and Suki were at the house. They'd just returned after a long day of accompanying Zuko to his various meetings around the capital city. It was an easy enough assignment - there had been no assassination attempts, no protests, or anything particularly noteworthy. If they were being completely honest, it had been incredibly boring. All of Zuko's meetings that day had been bureaucratic in nature - longwinded, serious conversations about the economy _._ At least, Ty Lee _thought_ they were about the economy. She wasn't paying that much attention.

"Zuko should think about hiring a band or something," Ty Lee mused as the girls walk into their bathroom, "you know, to play music in the background while he has his meetings! They'd be a lot more entertaining that way."

Suki looked to the acrobat, "I don't think they're supposed to be entertaining."

"All I'm saying is, it's a lot harder to protect someone when you're trying not to fall asleep," Ty Lee sighed while untying her ponytail. Suki laughed, and handed the fire nation acrobat a small washcloth. Ty Lee eagerly took it.

As much as she loved her life as a Kyoshi Warrior, she always looked forward to wiping off her makeup at the end of the day and changing into more comfortable clothing. Being a Kyoshi Warrior was one of the most fulfilling things she'd ever done, but the uniform was so hot and restricting -- and the woven chainmail that lined the center of their robes lay heavy on her shoulders. On top of that, she was convinced that the thick makeup was giving her face a breakout.

The fact that Avatar Kyoshi had worn this uniform daily, for over two-hundred years, was a testament to how tough of an avatar she had been. 

As Ty Lee gently wiped her makeup from her face, she hummed to herself. As painfully boring as the day had been, she was in a good mood. Why wouldn't she be? She had become close, good friends with her fellow Kyoshi Warriors - and being able to fight by their side was incredible. They had become so in-sync, and every day they pushed each other to be the best they could be. It was hard to believe they'd been enemies not too long ago.

Ty Lee examined at herself in the mirror - half her face was clean, while half was still covered with now smudged Kyoshi warpaint. She smiled a large, toothy grin, delighted by how ridiculous she looked. 

"Suki..." Ty Lee exclaimed, turning to face the Kyoshi Warrior leader, "what if we changed our makeup to this?"

Suki looked over Ty Lee's face, before bursting into laughter, "I don't know if Avatar Kyoshi would appreciate the update."

"You never know," Ty Lee replied, "I heard Avatar Kyoshi was very fashion-forward."

"Hmm…" Suki mused, before taking her washcloth and wiping off half her makeup. Now her face matched Ty Lee's.

"How do I look?" Suki asked, striking a dramatic pose.

"Sokka is a lucky guy," Ty Lee joked. The acrobat stopped and took another look herself in the mirror. She really did look preposterous.

She briefly wondered what Azula would do if she saw her makeup like this. Would she think it's funny? What would she say? Most likely, she'd roll her eyes and utter something aloof and dismissive.

Ty Lee paused - of course her thoughts managed to drift to Azula right now. Somehow they always did. She shook her head, trying to erase the thought. Speculating on the princess's reaction would only remind her of things she'd prefer not to think about.

"Hey," Suki said, breaking her from her thoughts, "What if we left our makeup on like this. You know, greet the other warriors as they return?"

Ty Lee chuckled, a large grin crossing her face.

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

She had always been a fighter, and this was no different. From an early age, she had learned to overcome and conquer any opponent in battle. Even if her opponent was her own body, she would persevere.

Azula's mouth tasted of iron. While it wasn't a long distance to Ty Lee's house, each slight movement became more painful than the last. She struggled to see straight, and barely had the energy to walk.

She was trying to focus on taking one singular step at a time, but it was easier said than done. She was fighting to stay conscious, a battle she was currently winning, but for how much longer she didn't know.

With a pained breath, she took another slow step and stumbled to the ground - again. Her whole body was sweating, yet she felt so cold. She felt like her heart was about to beat out of her chest.

Even if she was to somehow make it to Ty Lee's house, there was no guarantee that the acrobat would even be home. Hell, there was no guarantee Ty Lee would even help her. Azula quickly shook the thought from her head. No, she couldn't give up, not now. After everything she'd been through, she refused to let everything end here. Disgraced or not, she was Azula - daughter of Fire Lord Ozai, and one of the greatest firebenders the world had ever seen. Her story wasn't about to end here.

She took as deep a breath as she can, pushed herself up, and continued her journey. She had to keep walking, no matter what. Even though she was in more pain than she'd ever been in, she had to keep walking. Even though her strength was quickly depleting, and each step became harder and harder, she had to keep walking.

As she passed a familiar looking streetlamp, her heart skips a beat. She's nearly there. Though her vision is blurry, she squints. Had she made it?

And there it was. Ty Lee's house. 

Her legs gave out, and she gasped as she fell to the floor. She tried to push herself up…but she couldn't. She didn't have the strength.

* * *

Ty Lee and Suki had changed into their pajamas, makeup still half on their faces, and made their way to the living room. Suki had heated up some tea, while Ty Lee flopped on the couch.

"You know, I gotta tell you Ty Lee," Suki playfully teased, "Your pajamas really sell the makeup." 

"I'm thinking about making it my signature look," Ty Lee laughed. Suki takes a seat next to the acrobat, handing her the cup of tea. Ty Lee sits up and eagerly takes a sip from the warm beverage. She hums and she tastes the liquid - jasmine and chamomile, her favorite.

"Mmmm, it tastes like Iroh made it," Ty Lee exclaim. Suki smiled, leaning back against the couch. 

"I'm glad," she said. There is a small pause, before Suki asks, "Hey, how are you doing by the way?"

Ty Lee glanced at Suki, "What do you mean?"

Out of all the Kyoshi Warriors, she had grown particularly close to Suki - the leader of the warriors had somewhat become an older sister figure. Suki had always made it a point to check up on the well-being of herself and the other warriors. If one of them was having problems, no matter what they were, Suki would listen happily and with an open mind.

"I know when Azula first escaped, you were afraid she was going to come after you," Suki continued, "Are you still worried?"

Oh right. That. Ty Lee took a deep breath and another long sip of her tea.

"It's complicated," she finally said, looking into Suki's concerned eyes. She felt her body tense up, "I've just been trying not to think about it."

Suki placed a comforting hand on Ty Lee's shoulder, "It's okay to be scared, it doesn't make you weak."

"It's not that I'm scared..." Ty Lee starts, before pausing, "...like I said, it's complicated."

Suki nodded, "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"I don't know," It wasn't that she didn't want to talk about it - it's that she didn't know how to. Thinking about Azula gave her a tsunami of different emotions. Fear was absolutely one of them, she'd never lost her fear for Azula, but the rest were feelings couldn't name. She wasn't ready to unpack all of that, at least not today.

Maybe she never would be.

"Come on, why don't we…" Suki was cut off by the sound of a loud explosion.

The girls shrieked, looking towards the source: The front door had been consumed by brilliant blue fire.

Ty Lee felt a chill go down her spine as she watched Suki spring into action.

There was no mistaking it, there was only one person in the world who could create a fire like that. Azula was here.

Ty Lee took a deep breath. It looks like she was facing her demons today, whether she wanted to or not.

* * *

Azula couldn't move - her whole body felt like it was made of lead. Her rapid heartbeat roared in her ears, and blackness crept more and more into her vision.

But still, she could see it - Ty Lee's house was right there, just out of her grasp. She saw lights in the windows - someone was home. Someone could help her.

Azula opened her mouth - if she couldn't move, maybe she could yell and get someone's attention. But the sound that escaped her lips was nothing more than a horse, quiet whisper. Barely audible, even to herself. 

She started to cough and felt a liquid come to her mouth as she did -- blood. 

She briefly considered if it would be easier to just give in. Like if she just closed her eyes just for a second, all her pain would dissipate. She had always been a fighter...but she was so tired. Maybe it was finally time she swallowed her pride and took the path of least resistance. She wondered how Ty Lee would react, finding her cold, dead body outside her door. Would the acrobat cheer, having one less threat to worry about? Would she celebrate finally being free of the princess and their long, complicated history? It would be the most logical reaction.

Or maybe Ty Lee would find her body and cry - now there was a thought. Azula pictured it, the image of Ty Lee sobbing over her corpse.

Maybe she'd cry because she felt guilty for not being able to save the princess. Maybe she'd blame herself for the princess's demise. Maybe she'd cry because, despite all their painful history, Ty Lee still loved her. Azula wanted to feel satisfied at the thought. After all, what a poetic fate for the girl who's betrayal led to the princess's downfall. The idea should make her happy.

But it didn't. She couldn't place why, but she really didn't want that to happen.

Azula took as deep a breath as her body would allow, reached out her arm, and produced a small blue flame in the palm of her hand - barely even an ember. That wasn't enough to do anything. She took another deep, agonizing breath, and she watched the fire grew. It would have to be enough.

With as much strength as her body could muster, Azula sent the fireball whizzing towards the front door of the house. She watched as it made an impact with the door.

She had done everything that she could, and as helpless as it was, all she could do now was hope that it was enough. Her vision went dark and listened to the roar of the fire she'd created. It was almost soothing. 

_"Azula!"_

Azula's eyes briefly opened - and while she could hardly see, she thought she saw a face. She squinted and...it was Ty Lee. Half her face was covered with Kyoshi Warrior makeup, and half her face looked clean.

"Azula, hold on!"

"Ty Lee, be careful!" Another familiar voice shouted, but Azula couldn't quite make out who. All Azula could focus on was Ty Lee's piercing gray eyes.

Ty Lee had come for her. Azula smiled.

"Ty Lee," she muttered, her voice barely a whisper, "...you look ridiculous."

Her eyes closed, and she faded into unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Adrenaline pumped through Ty Lee's body, as the blue flames consumed her family home's door. She knew this day was inevitable - ever since Zuko informed her that Azula had escaped, she knew in her heart that it was only a matter of time before the princess confronted her. Ty Lee knew she was in for a fight, and it was a fight she wasn't confident she'd win. There was no room for any error. The acrobat knew she could hold her own in battle, and she knew that Suki and herself were a fighting force to be reckoned with. But against Azula?

She shook the thought from her head. She couldn't afford to think about that. There could be no room for any hesitation. Though she was still in her pajamas, she charged out the burning door, ready to fight for her life…

But as soon as she stepped outside, she was met with a different sight entirely: a young woman's body sprawled out a short distance away from the door. A hooded cloak obscured the woman's face, but...Ty Lee's heart skipped a beat. No, it couldn't be.

_Could it?_

Against her better judgment, Ty Lee sprinted towards the body, praying that it wasn't who she thought it was. That this was a misunderstanding.

"Ty Lee!" Suki called after her, but Ty Lee ignored her. The acrobat bent down and noticed a tear in the figure's cloak near the back of the shoulder. She gently examined the area...mostly burnt flesh, with blood-drenched around the wound. The smell made Ty Lee want to puke.

"She's hurt," Ty Lee called out. With a trembling hand, she gently lifted the cloaked figure's hood.

Ty Lee gasped as she saw the face.

"Azula..." Ty Lee gasped, as she saw her former friend's face. Ty Lee's thoughts started racing. How had Azula ended up here? How did she get so injured? Was this a trap? Was she breathing?

_Was she even alive?_

Ty Lee carefully rotated Azula onto her back - where she noticed another wound on her side - burnt and bloody like the other. She reached for Azula's arm, and carefully felt for a pulse. It was there, but slow. Faint.

"Azula!"

The firebender's eyelids fluttered open. Ty Lee had always been able to tell a lot about people from their eyes - eyes were the window to the soul after all. Ty Lee could tell what emotions someone was feeling; if someone was hiding something, even if someone was being honest. Azula was different. Azula's eyes had always been cold and analytical - always calculating her next move.

But now, as Ty Lee looked into Azula's eyes, she read a wave of different emotions. Shock. Pain. Fear. She noticed the remnants of tears had marked Azula's cheeks. Ty Lee hadn't seen Azula cry since they were ten.

"Azula, hold on!" Ty Lee exclaimed. She gently cradled the firebender's head, instinctively brushing a loose hair away from her face.

"Ty Lee, be careful!" Suki yelled out, while slowly approaching from behind.

"Ty Lee," Azula spoke, her voice quiet and raspy. Her golden eyes focused on Ty Lee, and the acrobat was able to make out one more emotion - relief. A faint smile crossed the princess's lips: "You look ridiculous."

Azula eyes closed, the firebender slipping back into unconsciousness. Ty Lee's heartbeat accelerated.

"Azula! Azula!" she cried out. She felt a hand on her shoulder: Suki. It was then that Ty Lee realized she was trembling.

"Ty Lee," Suki's voice was calm and collected - ever the leader, "we have to get her inside, okay?"

Ty Lee nodded and took a deep breath. She had to remain collected.

For Azula.

* * *

The girls placed Azula on Suki's bed, as Suki's room was the closest. As much as Suki didn't want to give up her space to the princess, they didn't know the full extent of Azula's injuries. It was dangerous to move the princess too much before knowing the full extent of the damage.

They carefully removed Azula's damaged clothes, as they needed to make sure there weren't any more injuries that were hidden. Even though her garments were black, they could still make out the heavy bloodstains.

Suki, while not a medic, had a decent amount of first aid knowledge. As the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, she made it a point to be able to stabilize any injury one of her warriors might receive in battle before someone more qualified could look at it. Still, as she looked over the injuries of the fire nation's princess, Suki couldn't help but think she was way over her head. She'd never treated anything nearly this severe. On top of that, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was a trap of some kind. This was Azula, after all. On top of keeping a clear head, she needed to be alert.

She took a deep breath - she needed to figure out exactly how bad these injuries were.

Suki leaned in, deciding to start with the wound on Azula's side. She was keenly aware of Ty Lee hovering over her. It was clear that the acrobat was fighting to maintain her composure, and Suki didn't blame her. While she didn't know the full extent of Ty Lee's history with the princess, she knew it complicated. She knew they had been friends. She suspected at one point, they had been more.

"I'm going to start by cleaning the injuries," Suki instructed, turning to face the terrified acrobat, "I need you to grab me a clean, wet towel."

Ty Lee nodded and sprinted out of the room. Now that she was out of the room, Suki let her composure fall. She clutched her forehead and swore quietly to herself. What if she made a mistake? What if she accidentally made things worse? She looked over the princess. She'd always seen this girl as so strong - a strong warrior who greatly outmatched her. She wondered what kind of warrior was able to get the better of Azula like this. Was that person still alive?

Suki leaned in, examining the wound on Azula's side. She carefully touched it, and though Azula was unconscious, she still let out a pained whimper. Suki retracted her hand. It was hard to believe this was the same girl who had tormented her while imprisoned at the Boiling Rock.

 _"How's it feel, being directly responsible for the fall of Ba Sing Se?"_ Azula had taunted her, _"How's it feel knowing that you were too weak to stop us?"_

"Now who's too weak?" she found herself saying, though she doubted the princess could hear her.

Ty Lee ran back into the room, handing Suki the towel. The acrobat took a step back, as Suki gently dabbed the towel onto the wound. The princess let out another sharp whimper as the towel touched her skin.

"Careful!" Ty Lee exclaimed. Suki didn't answer her, too absorbed in her examination. Soon, the towel was drenched in blood. As she cleaned the injury, Suki noticed...the princess was still bleeding.

Suki clenched her fists. How long had the princess been bleeding? How much blood has she lost? Was she doing this right,

"Dammit," Suki muttered to herself, before taking a deep breath. Getting frustrated wouldn't help anyone. But still...she was realizing that she might not be able to make a difference.

"What? What happened?" Ty Lee took a step closer. The acrobat looked like she was on the verge of tears. Suki looked back to Azula, and noticed that her breathing was starting to become more erratic. That wasn't good.

"I need you to run and get Zuko," Suki said. It was the only way.

"What? No, I have to stay and help you! I have to..."

"Ty Lee," Suki snapped, cutting Ty Lee off, "I can only do so much. If we don't get a waterbender to look at her, I don't know if she'll..." She didn't want to say it out loud. She didn't want to accidentally speak that reality into existence.

Another tear streamed down Ty Lee's face before she nodded. With no words, she was running out the door as fast as her body could take her.

Suki went back to cleaning the wounds, hoping Ty Lee would be quick.

* * *

Ty Lee sprinted through the fire nation capital, faster than she'd ever run before. The Fire Lord's palace was a short distance away - usually, it was around a fifteen-minute walk. But Ty Lee didn't want to waste any time - fifteen minutes was too late.

Ty Lee barely noticed the tears streaming down her face as she ran. Her legs felt like they were made of lead, and her lungs felt like they were on fire. Still, she pushed herself to run _faster._

When she arrived at the front gates of the palace, she almost tumbled into the palace guards. She was just barely able to stop herself from colliding with them, diverting her momentum last minute into doing a twirl. As she stopped moving, she realized how out of breath she was.

"State your business," one of guards aid, gruffly.

"I...I am one of the Kyoshi Warriors," she stated, trying to catch her breath, "I need to speak with the Fire Lord. It's an emergency."

The guards looked at each other, skeptically. It was then that Ty Lee realized how she looked. Here she was, half her war-paint washed off, in her pajamas, crying and out of breath. On an impulse, Ty Lee decided that she didn't have the time to wait for these two to determine the validity of her story. In one fluid motion, she lept up, pushed herself off of one of the guard's shoulders, and ran into the palace.

"Hey, get back here!" They yelled after her, but Ty Lee didn't worry about them. She racked her mind, trying to think about where Zuko would be this time of night. His room? The throne room? As she heard the guards catch up with her, she decided the throne room was closet - her best bet.

She sprinted in that direction, occasionally dodging some unsuspecting palace workers. She knew these halls well, having played in them a ton when she was a kid.

She rounded a corner and was met with the large metal doors of the throne room. There was a time in her life when this door scared her. She had once been told that entering this room without being summoned would lead to her whole family being banished.

She wasn't afraid of that anymore. She burst open the doors, and to her relief, there Zuko was. He sat at a table, and to Ty Lee's surprise, Aang and Katara sat across from him.

"Zuko!" Ty Lee cried out. He took one look at her and rushed to her side. Ty Lee started to sob, no longer able to maintain any composure.

"Ty Lee," he said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, "What happened?"

"It's...it's Azula," she replied. Zuko, Katara, and Aang tensed, looking like they were reading to head into battle. Aang grabbed his staff, Katara clutched her water pouch.

"Where's Suki? Did she hurt you?" Zuko asked. Ty Lee shook her head.

"No, no we didn't fight" Ty Lee took a deep breath, "She showed up out of nowhere but...she's really hurt. She's..."

Zuko looked at Katara and Aang, who both nodded.

"We can take Appa," Aang said.

And with that, they sprinted into action.

* * *

Ty Lee's favorite place in her house had always been the back yard. An open field with pink flowers everywhere. But the best feature of all was the giant peach tree, perfect for shade and climbing.

Ty Lee, Zuko, and Aang sat in dead silence under that tree, with Appa and Momo sound asleep next to them. Inside, Katara was healing Azula, with Suki assisting her. Ty Lee and Zuko insisted on staying with them, but due to the severity of the injuries, Katara wanted to limit the number of people in the room - she needed to concentrate.

A breeze rustled the flowers, and the sun was starting to rise - it was a beautiful morning.

It was Ty Lee who broke the silence.

"I feel so useless," she sighed, leaning her head back against the tree.

"Me too," Zuko replied.

With all the inner-turmoil Ty Lee was feeling, she imagined it was worse for Zuko. Azula may have been her friend, but she was Zuko's baby sister. She found herself reaching out, and grabbing the Fire Lord's hand. He looked at her skeptically, but didn't pull away. His grip tightened, a show of solidarity.

It was then that Suki walked out, carrying a tray of tea. Ty Lee and Zuko jumped up, eager for any updates.

"How is she?" Zuko asked.

"Too soon to say," Suki replied. She passed each of them one of the teacups. Ty Lee took hers, and slowly breathed in the steam. Jasmine, with a hint of lavender. A small comfort.

"Do we know what happened?" Aang asked. Suki shook her head

"We're not sure, but her injuries are consistent with stab wounds -- a dagger of some kind."

"Mai!" Zuko dropped his cup, the glass shattering on the ground below.

Ty Lee felt her heart sink. She had been so worried about Azula...she hadn't even begun to think about _how_ this had happened in the first place. It was very possible that Azula decided to take revenge on Mai. In fact, it was _likely._

Not a day went by where Ty Lee didn't think about that fateful day at Boiling Rock - where Mai and herself had chosen to stand against Azula. Mai had just saved Zuko's life and aided in his escape.

" _I guess you just don't know people as well as you think you do,"_ Mai had said -- a direct challenge to Azula's power. She'd made her choice, and now, she was daring Azula to do something about it. " _You miscalculated. I love Zuko more than I fear you."_

Azula took the bait.

_"No, YOU miscalculated! You should have feared me more!"_

Ty Lee remembered looking between the two girls, the two people she cherished more than anyone in the universe, and realizing that they were both prepared to fight to the death. But the moment she saw Azula start to form her lightning, Ty Lee knew that Mai would die where she stood. The older girl was a talented warrior, but she stood no chance.

Unless Ty Lee did something.

Before Azula could form her bolt, Ty Lee stepped into motion. As quick as she could, before Azula could even realize it, Ty Lee chi-blocked her. Azula tumbled towards the ground, gasping for air. It wasn't until the princess looked up at her that Ty Lee was able to process what she'd done. It was a rare moment where she could read Azula's emotions.

Hurt. Betrayal. Rage. Nothing would ever be the same.

Now, hearing that Azula's had been stabbed...had the fight she'd given up everything to stop taken place? Ty Lee knew Azula would come for the two of them eventually. Is that what had happened?

"I'll go investigate," Aang declared, running to grab his staff. And with that, the Avatar was off.

Ty Lee felt herself start to cry again. Zuko let out a scream and turned around to punched the tree as hard as he could. This revelation had been the cherry on top of an emotionally exhausting few hours.

"You've both been up all night," Suki said, her voice gentle and calm, "Why don't you both try and get some rest?"

Ty Lee shook her head, "I don't think I'd be able to sleep."

"Me either," Zuko said. Suki sighed.

"If anything changes, we'll get you. I promise."

Ty Lee took a deep breath. Suki was right.

"...okay," she said and walked back into the house.

As she walked to her room, she passed the room Azula was staying in. Ty Lee stopped, noticing that the door was cracked open. Carefully, she peaked in.

Katara sat there, glowing water hovering above Azula's injury on her side. Ty Lee lingered there, watching the waterbender do her work. It was mesmerizing, watching the water's flow. Katara turned her head around, noticing Ty Lee. The acrobat jumped.

"Sorry," she said. Katara smiled at her, and though she was a waterbender, Ty Lee thought about how gentle and warm Katara's aura was.

Azula was in good hands.


	4. Chapter 4

When Ty Lee awoke that afternoon, she smelled something delicious wafting into the room. It was a sweet smell, mixed with a little bit of earthiness. The afternoon sun shined brightly through her window, and she had no idea how long she'd been asleep. Her gray eyes burned from dryness, the aftermath of crying so much the night before. She felt dehydrated and weak.

She pushed herself out of bed and quickly changed from her pajamas into regular clothes. Normally, on a day off from her Kyoshi Warrior duties, Ty Lee would take some extra time to make herself nice. She'd put on a little extra makeup - something more flattering than her Kyoshi Warrior war-paint, and if she was feeling extra adventurous, she'd experiment with a new hairstyle.

Today, Ty Lee didn't bother to take out her braided ponytail, which she'd slept in. Loose, messy hair hung all over her face - she knew it was going to be a giant pain when she eventually brushed it out.

Still, she had other things to worry about right now.

She quickly made her way out of her room, stopping only at Azula's door. This time, it was closed. She reached out an eager hand to open it, only to stop herself just before touching the handle. Katara could be doing an important procedure that required a lot of concentration. As much as she wanted to burst through that door and make herself useful, she knew that instinct might do more harm than good.

With a heavy sigh, she walked away from the room. There were other ways to be helpful, she just had to find them. Entering the living room, she was immediately greeted to the sight of Suki, fast asleep on the couch. Even asleep, the older warrior looked exhausted. Ty Lee felt a pang of guilt. Suki had been up for who knows how long, tirelessly working to make sure Azula made it through the night.

Ty Lee noticed Suki shiver, ever so slightly. There was a blanket on the floor by where the warrior slept - it must have fallen Lee smiled, and picked it up. The acrobat knew she'd have to thank Suki properly when she woke up, but for now, she placed the blanket gently onto the Kyoshi Warrior.

As Ty Lee walked to the kitchen, she could hear people talking. Aang and...Mei!

"Mei!" she yelled out, as she sprinted into the room. Mei was seated at the table, not a scratch on her, casually drinking a cup of warm tea. She looked over, just in time for Ty Lee to engulf her into a hug.

"Oh...hey Ty Lee," Mei said.

"I'm so glad you're alright!" Normally, Mei would immediately push Ty Lee away. The goth had never been one for hugs. However, she let Ty Lee linger. Maybe it was because she knew Ty Lee could use the comfort. Or maybe Mei was more spooked by the situation than she'd ever verbally admit to being.

"Ah, you're awake!" Another familiar voice said. Ty Lee broke away from the hug to see Iroh. The elder firebender smiled warmly at her, lifting a teapot, "Can I interest you in some tea?"

"It's delicious!" It was Aang, who was sitting across from Mei.

"That sounds lovely, thank you," Ty Lee took the cup from Iroh, and joined Mei and Aang at the table. The clay cup was soothingly warm to the touch, and Ty Lee took a deep breath of the steam. It felt warm against her face. She recognized the tea's aroma as the same one that had awoken her earlier. It was calming, just what she needed to help reset her scattered mind.

"Where's Zuko?" Ty Lee asked, looking around the room. Mei smirks.

"The Fire Lord is getting his beauty rest," Mei laughed, "He passed out as soon as he found out Azula didn't murder me last night."

"How is she?" It was the question Ty Lee was afraid of asking, but she knew she had to. A heavy silence fell over the room, and Ty Lee felt a heavy pit in her stomach.

"She hasn't woken up yet," it was Aang who broke the silence. Ty Lee nodded, taking another sip of her tea. She felt Mei put a gentle hand on her shoulder, a rare form of comfort.

"Don't worry," it was Iroh who spoke next, smiling warmly at the group, "she went through a lot last night, it'll take some time for her to regain her strength."

Ty Lee nodded, taking another sip of her tea. Iroh had always been a comforting figure to her, even though he wasn't _her_ uncle. Whenever she or Mei were visiting Azula as kids, Iroh made it a point to welcome them both with open arms.

It was then, a large crashing sound echoed through the house, immediately followed by the sound of Katara yelping. Ty Lee dropped the tea from her hands, the glass shattering on the floor, but the acrobat didn't care. She sprinted towards Azula's room.

The princess was awake.

* * *

Everything was black, and her mind was nothing but fog. Azula's body felt heavy and numb. Where was she? How did she get here? What happened? She couldn't remember anything.

Just barely, she could make out the sound of someone gently humming. The voice was familiar, though she didn't know why.

She could feel a cooling sensation swirling over her shoulder - it almost felt like her shoulder was being encased in ice. It stung. The voice continued to hum. Why did it sound so familiar?

Her eyes started to flutter open, but she was unable to make out any details of her surroundings. Everything was blurred shapes and colors. She squinted, attempting to clear the image. She could make out...what looked like a person. Someone was with her. That's who was humming.

Slowly, her vision came more into focus, and that's when she saw the person in front of her was none-other than Katara - the waterbender who'd defeated her on the day of Sozin's Comet. Azula felt her heart skip a beat, as the memory flashed through her mind. She remembered being suddenly encased in ice, unable to move or breathe. She remembered how deathly cold her icy tomb had been, so cold that she couldn't firebend her way to freedom.

Katara's hands were on her shoulder, and Azula realized that was the stinging-cooling sensation she was feeling. Her heart started to race. What was the waterbender doing to her? She had to get out of here, now. She locked eyes with Katara, who's calm demeanor quickly shifted to that of a warrior's.

With all the strength she could muster, Azula lunged towards the waterbender. She thrusted her arms, trying to send a blast of fire from her palms, but she was barely able to spark an ember. Instead, Azula went tumbling out of a bed, towards the floor.

Katara stepped forward, catching her before she hit the ground. That's when the pain hit her. Her shoulder and her side throbbed with a searing pain like nothing else she'd ever felt.

"Easy," Katara said, holding her tightly. Azula thrashed in her arms, breaking out of the waterbender's grasp and pushing her away. The pain was even stronger now, and Azula cried out, clutching her side.

"I'm trying to help you," Katara said, her voice calmer than it should have been, and took a cautious step towards her. Slowly, she reached out a hand towards Azula.

"Stay away from me," Azula hissed. Katara slowly pulled away her hand, and stepped away from her, giving her space. Azula observed her surroundings, trying to remember how she got here in the first place.

Then it dawned on her...she knew this room. This was one of the guest-rooms in Ty Lee's house - she'd spent the night here plenty of times as a child.

Ty Lee.

It was becoming clearer now. She remembered the alleyway, the mugger who had something to prove, and the silver knife that entered her flesh. She remembered her desperate journey to Ty Lee's house, and she remembered feeling like she was going to die. Her heart was beating faster.

"Azula!"

The door to the room slammed open, and Ty Lee bolted in. The acrobat desperately looked around and saw Azula on the floor.

"Careful, she's…" Katara tried to say, but Ty Lee ignored her. She pushed right past the waterbender and crouched by Azula's side.

Azula looked at Ty Lee and noticed how disheveled the acrobat's appearance was. Messy hair with dark circles under her eyes, she looked exhausted.

The door opened again, and Azula watched as Mei, her uncle, and The Avatar entered the room. Great, that was just what she needed. And if they were here, that probably meant that Zuko was around as well.

"Katara!" The Avatar yelled, running to the waterbender's side, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she replied, eyes glancing back to Azula. The former princess noticed that all eyes were on her now. It was uncomfortably silent. She looked at the group, a room of her greatest enemies.

She jumped, as she felt a light touch on her shoulder - Ty Lee. Azula turned her head to glare at the acrobat. She's the reason they were all here.

"You called in the calvary, I see," she said. Her breaths were becoming labored. Any slight movement was met with gnawing pain.

"What was I supposed to do?" Ty Lee replied, "You were dying."

Azula wanted to respond, but her mind was still so hazy, it was hard to think straight. Instead, she sat in silence as everyone stared at her. She looked at the group - everyone's eyes were filled with pity. It was infuriating. She didn't need their pity.

With a deep breath, she tried to push herself up, but was immediately met with pain. A whimper escaped her lips.

"Let me help you up," Ty Lee offered. Azula shook her head and jerked her shoulder away from Ty Lee's touch. She knew she needed to stop moving, her body wasn't going to take much more of this.

There was an irony here, she thought. She went through so much agony to be here, on the off chance that Ty Lee would help her. And now, she was unable to move past her pride to receive the very help she so desperately sought out.

"I'm...fine," she was able to speak. Her eyes felt heavy.

"Azula…" Ty Lee's voice was quiet, a small plea, "Let me help you."

Azula turned away from the acrobat, unable to take Ty Lee's pitiful stare any longer.

"Please?"

"No," was all she said. She knew it would be easier to just give in, and let Ty Lee help her. But she couldn't bring herself to accept the help.

"Azula…"

"I said no, Ty Lee, what part of that do you not understand - Ahhh!" She'd moved too quickly in her outburst, the pain was making it hard to think. She curled up tighter, clutching her side.

She felt Ty Lee gently place her arm under her shoulder, making sure she was supported. The acrobat wasn't taking no for an answer.

"Hold on," It was Mei. The girl walked to the other side of Azula, bending down, and carefully grabbing on to her back. She wanted to fight the two, but she didn't have the energy.

"One, two, three…" They cautiously lifted her from the ground, and Azula winced as pain shot through her body. The girls carefully lay her back on the bed, before letting go.

The bed was soft and warm. Her eyelids were heavy, and she knew the moment she allowed her eyes to close, she'd drift back into unconsciousness. Once again, a heavy silence fell over the room. Everyone was looking at her, with the same pitiful look as before. The Avatar, her uncle, the girl who defeated her, and her two former friends - all of them got to watch just how pathetic she was. She couldn't fall asleep again, she had to maintain some dignity.

It was Iroh who was next to approach her. She noticed he'd had a cup of tea in his hands. Of course he did. He knelt down by her bed and extended the glass.

"Drink this," he spoke, "It's a natural painkiller. It will help."

Azula met her uncle's eye, "Is this the tea you served Lu Ten on his deathbed?"

"Hey, lay off!" it was Ty Lee who snapped at her. Azula smirked - finally, a reaction she could tolerate, "He's just trying to help you. We're all trying to help you!" The acrobat's pitiful look was replaced by one of frustration. She rested her head on the pillow, turned her head to Ty Lee, and smiled.

"It's alright," Iroh was as calm as ever. He set the cup down on the side table by her bed, "If you change your mind, it's right here. Though, I warn you...there is nothing worse than lukewarm tea."

Leave it to her uncle to ruin a good thing.

"Sure," she said, finally allowing her eyes to close. She took a deep breath felt herself start to slip back into unconsciousness.

* * *

When Azula woke up next, the sun was setting. Her room glowed with a fiery hue, as the light from the setting sun shined through her window. She could smell something sweet wafting through the room. Cinnamon.

She turned her head and saw that Ty Lee and Iroh were sitting by her bed. Most likely, they were here to guard her. Both were facing away from her, unable to see that she had woke up. Azula thought that might be for the best. Even though she was awake, she could barely move her body. She knew she wouldn't be conscious that much longer.

"This tea is delicious, Iroh," it was Ty Lee's voice. So that's what that smell was.

"I've been trying to perfect it for a while," Iroh replied, "I'm planning on adding it to the menu next month."

Of course they were talking about tea. Sometimes she wondered if the geezer knew how to talk about anything else.

"About earlier," Ty Lee said, "What she said about Lu Ten...did it bother you?"

There was a pause, and she heard Iroh take another sip of tea. He chuckled.

"She lashed out because she's afraid," Iroh said, matter of factly. Azula wanted to shout out that he was wrong, she wasn't scared...but she didn't. She didn't have the energy. Instead, she closed her eyes, and kept listening. She didn't want them to know she was awake.

"That still doesn't make it okay," Ty Lee replied. Azula had to stop herself from smiling at the frustration in her voice, "I just...I don't understand why she has to be so mean all the time."

"She doesn't want to be seen as weak," Iroh replied, "Especially around those she cares about."

"Azula? Caring?" Ty Lee practically laughed, "The only person Azula cares about is herself."

Azula felt her stomach knot at the statement, though she didn't know why. From a young age, her father taught her that it was foolish to care about other people. Other people would only use and exploit that weakness, he'd tell her. She remembered the first time he ever told her that. She had just returned home after her first day at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls and told her father about the two new friends she'd made.

"She cares about you," Iroh said. Azula once again fought the urge to object, but she didn't have it in her.

"Well, she has a funny way of showing it," Ty Lee responded. She heard Iroh chuckle.

"You care about her too," he said.

"Of course I do," Ty Lee immediately responded. There was a bitter resolve in the acrobat's voice. Azula felt a gentle hand brush a loose hair out of her face, "I never stopped."

"She's not going to make this easy," it was Iroh again. This time, it was Ty Lee who chuckled.

"Yeah, well, I'm going to help her whether she wants me to or not."

The resolve in Ty Lee's voice...almost made Azula feel guilty. She had seen how disheveled the acrobat was. Ty Lee took great pride in her appearance, even when they were kids. Azula remembered the night before when Ty Lee found her outside her house. She wondered if Ty Lee had slept at all between then and now. Azula guessed probably not. And, the number of people who had been here to make sure she survived...as annoyed as she was at Ty Lee for getting all these people involved, what else was the acrobat supposed to do?

Maybe Ty Lee was most likely the reason she was still alive.

Maybe she did feel guilty.

"You're a good friend," Iroh said, "And I'm sure deep down, she knows that."

Maybe she did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

Things were starting to calm down, at least a little bit. Everyone was adjusting to the situation they’d suddenly been thrust into. At the very least, everyone was starting to figure out how to feel just a little bit useful. 

Well, almost everyone.   
  
Zuko awoke to the news that his sister had very briefly regained consciousness. In the few minutes she’d been awake, she tried to attack Katara, and mouthed-off to everyone else in the room. It was very in-character. As annoyed as he was that his sister immediately gave everyone a hard time, there was a comfort in knowing that at least her spirit was in-tact.   
  
“This means she’ll recover, right?” he’d naively asked Katara. The waterbender responded by placing a grounding hand on Zuko’s shoulder. He felt his heart sink at the touch.   
  
“Zuko, anything can happen,” she reminded him. A cold reality, “Her injuries are deep, and she’s lost a lot of blood. And if she gets an infection…”   
  
“You’re right, you’re right,” he said, cutting her off. He didn’t feel like hearing the rest of that sentence, at least not yet.   
  
The truth was, the Fire Lord hadn’t been able to bring himself to enter his sister’s room. He’d tried to multiple times, but the idea of seeing his sister like... _ that _ ...it made him uneasy. 

All his life, Azula had been a force to be reckoned with. She was the firebending prodigy whose shadow he spent most of his life striving to escape from. She was his obnoxious little sister who lived to torment him. Even at her lowest -- being confined to a mental ward at the end of the war, she’d never lost her willpower and ambition.

He was scared, but he needed to get over that. No matter what, he needed to get over it. 

He stood outside the door, a trembling hand hovering over the door-handle. Ty Lee and Iroh were in there now, having offered to watch her while Katara took a much-needed break. The waterbender had been tending to Azula’s wounds for a long time, never once complaining. Zuko wondered if he’d ever be able to properly thank her.   
  
He took a deep breath; it was now or never. 

He pushed open the door - and was met with the sight of Ty Lee and Iroh tranquilly drinking tea. They both looked up and smiled at him as he entered.   
  
Azula lay behind them. Her porcelain skin was a ghostly pale, she looked more fragile than he’d ever seen her. Azula. Fragile. Those were two words that didn’t go together. He clenched his fists.

Still, if it wasn’t for the steady rise and fall of her chest, she’d look dead.   
  
“Everything okay, Zuko?” Ty Lee asked, interrupting him from his thoughts. Even now, after everything Azula had put her through, she sat loyally by Azula’s side. She looked exhausted.    
  
“I actually need to speak with you.”   
  
“Oh, sure,” she said, tilting her head. She looked to Azula, before setting her tea down, and following him out the door. 

They walked in silence for a moment, before Zuko stated, “We’re all going having a meeting. On what to do with Azula, now that’s she’s here.”   
  
“Oh,” was all Ty Lee could respond.   
  


* * *

Ty Lee breathed in for four seconds and exhaled for eight. It was a breathing exercise she’d learned in the circus; it was supposed to help someone stay calm and level headed. After all, when doing acrobatics on a tightrope, any unwanted tension could be deadly. However, she’d found it was good in other situations as well. It helped her stay calm in a battle for one thing. It also helped her stay calm in super serious meetings, like the one she was at now.   
  
She sat at her family’s dining room table, nestled between Mai and Suki. Katara, Aang, and Zuko sat across from them. Everyone looked absolutely exhausted, nobody had gotten much sleep in the past day and a half. Everyone also had a small bowl of rice in front of them -- the meeting also serving as a dinner break.    
  
They needed to figure out what to do next. Azula may have been severely injured, but she was still one of the Fire Nation’s most dangerous criminals. There were many questions that needed to be answered, and those answers would directly affect how they moved forward.    
  
Iroh had stayed behind, electing to watch over Azula as the group discussed what to do. They needed someone to observe her and alert them if her condition changed. He said he’d trust whatever decisions the group decided on.    
  
It was nearly midnight, but the meeting had only just begun. It was going to be a long night.    
  
The first question on the agenda: where was the safest place to keep Azula?   
  
“Is there any reason we can’t move her to a prison right now?” It was Suki who asked the question. Ty Lee stiffened at her words, even though she understood where Suki was coming from. Azula had escaped from the group’s custody on more than one occasion, and Ty Lee’s family home wasn’t exactly a secure facility. If Azula was at her full strength, she could raze the place with only a snap of her finger. Suki continued, “I know when I was at Boiling Rock, they had a surprisingly decent medical ward. Would that be an option?”   
  
Ty Lee clenched her fists at the mention of “Boiling Rock” -- too many bad memories. If she never had to go back to that place, it would be too soon. The thought of sending Azula there made her uncomfortable. There would be a certain cruel irony to sending the princess to that wretched place.    
  
“If I may,” Katara cut in. She stood up from her chair, and turned to address Suki, “I don’t recommend moving her in her current condition. While she’s stable for now, any slight change could cause her to take a turn for the worse.”    
  
That was all the convincing Ty Lee needed.    
  
“She’ll stay here until she’s recovered, then,” Ty Lee stated, a boldness to her voice. It was the only option, as far as she was concerned.    
  
“Ty Lee, no offense, but are we sure that’s safe?” Suki interjected. She placed a gentle hand on Ty Lee’s shoulder, “We’re not exactly a secure facility.”   
  
“You heard Katara, it’s too risky to move her right now,” she defended. She didn’t care if it was ultimately more dangerous, she didn’t want to risk Azula’s health like that. She couldn’t. 

“What if she turns around and attacks us?” Suki asked.   
  
“Suki’s not wrong,” it was Mai this time, “When she woke up earlier, she immediately lunged at Katara. If we wait for her to regain her strength, it might be dangerous to us.”

Mai had a point. Ty Lee wouldn’t put it past Azula to immediately attack them once she regained her strength. In fact, that was most likely what was going to happen.   
  
Still, Ty Lee was determined.   
  
“We can handle her,” Ty Lee stated, and looked to Suki, “I know it’s risky, but…”   
  
Suki’s expression softened, and she sighed. “I understand,” she looked back at Katara, “How long until it’s safe to move her?”   
  
Katara shook her head, “It’s hard to say but...it’s going to be a couple of weeks, at least.”   
  
It was Zuko’s turn to cut in, “Are you sure you two are okay with that?”   
  
Ty Lee nodded, as did Suki.   
  
“We’ll keep a constant eye on her,” Suki assured.   
  
“I’ll help too,” Mai said. She looked to Ty Lee, and smiled, “You’re gonna need all the backup you can get.”   
  
It was an assuring statement. Once, when Azula had first escaped, Mai assured Ty Lee that she’d never have to face the princess alone. That they were in this together, no matter what. Ty Lee wondered if this was Mai making good on that promise.   
  
“It might not be a bad idea to come up with a schedule,” it was Aang’s turn to talk, “We can take shifts watching her, that way everyone can get some sleep.”   
  
The group nodded, a reasonable idea. It seemed that aspect was taken care of.   
  
Zuko took a deep breath, before continuing.   
  
“The next thing...we still don’t know who did this to her,” a heavy pause filled the room, that truly was the biggest mystery of the situation. They didn’t know who did this, or if that person was still breathing. They didn’t know if Azula was somehow the victim of a senseless act of violence, or if this was done in self-defense. Was this one of her plots gone wrong, or had it been random?    
  
“It’s not like we can ask her when she wakes up, either,” Mai moaned. Indeed, Azula was nothing if not the world’s greatest unreliable narrator. They couldn’t trust a word she said.   
  
Ty Lee bit her lip, thinking about the situation, “It might not be totally useless to ask her when she wakes up,” she said. Everyone looked at her, perplexed. She understood where they were coming from, but she stuck to their guns “The reason Azula is such a good liar, is because she always adds a little bit of the truth. It might give us a lead if nothing else.”   
  
Zuko nodded, “That’s not a bad idea.”   
  
“I can also go into town tomorrow, and see if I can find any other leads,” Aang said, “we might be able to find more information that way.”   
  
“We’ll plan on doing both,” Zuko replied.    
  
So that was taken care of.    
  
“So I guess the final thing to discuss is...what do we do with her when she’s better?”   
  
Ty Lee clenched her fists, having a feeling she knew the answer.   
  
“Boiling Rock might be the only place secure enough to hold her,” Suki said. Ty Lee’s knuckles were turning white at how tightly she held them. The rest of the group started to reluctantly nod, and her heart sank. She understood where they were coming from, truly she did. It was a practical answer.   
  
Still, she saw the Fire Lord’s eyes look away, as if it wasn’t a decision he wanted to make.    
  
Ty Lee realized he probably felt as conflicted as she did. 

* * *

  
  
Azula realized she’d been slipping in and out of consciousness. She wanted to stay awake and get a better understanding of her situation, but she was too exhausted to fight it. Her body ached, and her lips felt dry and chapped.

Still, her eyes fluttered open, and she could roughly make out the shape of her uncle looking down at her. 

“Welcome back,” he said to her, smiling warmly. It looked like Ty Lee had left, leaving just the two of them. She turned her head away from Iroh and sighed. Of all the people to be trapped in a room with, it had to be him.   
  
“I know I’m probably the last person you want to talk to, but if you have any questions, I’d be happy to answer them.” he continued.   
  
Azula paused - it was true she had plenty of questions. However, that required talking to her uncle. She had no doubt that this would open the door to him giving her some of his boring life lessons, and she was literally a captive audience.    
  
Then again, being in the dark about her situation would get her nowhere. She supposed it wouldn’t hurt to get some information out of the geezer.   
  
“How long have I been here?” She was horrified at the sound of her own voice, soft and croaky. She could barely hear herself. It didn’t sound like her.   
  
“A little over twenty-four hours,” he replied. Azula nodded. She had been worried she’d been out of it longer. Her mind felt so hazy, and with the way she’d been in and out of consciousness, time didn’t feel real. It was nice to have a timeline.    
  
She shivered as she felt a light breeze blow against her sweat-glazed forehead. The window must have been open. 

“Do you want me to close that window?” Iroh asked her. She didn’t respond, the main question on her mind had already been answered. She hoped that if she ignored him, he’d go away. She tried to disregard the goosebumps that started to form on her arms, “Or a blanket, perhaps.”   
  
She wondered if she was being too stubborn about this. As overbearing as Iroh could be, he was just trying to take care of her. Her father had taught her that Iroh’s nurturing nature was his greatest weakness, but he wasn’t the one laying in what felt like a death bed. 

  
She thought back to Ty Lee’s stern words from earlier.   
  
_ “He’s just trying to help you. We’re all trying to help you.” _ _   
_ _   
_ She let out a heavy sigh. Maybe she did have one more question.   
  
“Where’s Ty Lee?” she asked. Iroh chuckled.

  
“She’ll be back soon,” he assured, “she and the others are just having a quick meeting.”

“A meeting about me, right?” she asked. His silence was the only answer she needed, “thought so.”   
  
She could picture it: her brother, Ty Lee, Mai, the Avatar, and all the Avatar’s friends, all gleefully deciding what her fate would be. She was essentially already their prisoner, after all. Would they send her back to that awful institution? Or perhaps they’d send her to Boiling Rock to really kick her while she’s down.    
  
Maybe imprisonment wouldn’t be enough. Maybe The Avatar would take her bending away, just as he’d done to her father before. She clenched her fists -- she’d rather die than let that happen. Or maybe, just maybe, they’d decide she wasn’t worth the trouble and have her executed.    
  
She stopped herself -- no, thankfully they were too merciful for that. At least she had that going for her.

She turned back to face her uncle, but she did so a little too quickly. She hissed in pain.    
  
“Here,” Iroh said, lifting a cup from the table. He held it to her, and she wondered if it was the same beverage he’d had tried to give her earlier.   
  
“Please uncle, I don’t want your tea.”   
  
“It’s not tea,” he replied, a bit more chipper than she would have liked, “At least...it’s not good tea. It’s very bitter, barely even palatable. But it will help with your pain.”   
  
She shook her head, biting out a quick, “I’ll manage.”

Iroh nodded and set the cup back down. She was starting to sweat heavily, despite feeling so cold. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, determined to tough it out.   
  
“You really are my brother’s daughter,” he said, endearingly. Her gaze snapped to him.   
  
“The disgraced Pheonix King, what a compliment.”   
  
“It is,” he replied, “Ozai may be a lot of things -- but he is also brave, and cunning, and proud.”    
  
“And look where that got him,” despite her biting words, a small smile formed on her face -- and it didn’t go unnoticed by her uncle. He lifted his hand, and he gently tucked a loose hair behind her ear.

However, she noticed his cheerful expression shift to one of concern. He gently placed the back of his hand on her forehead.

“What?” she asked. He removed his head, and stood up.   
  
“It appears you have a small fever,” he said. That wasn’t what she expected to hear.   
  
“But I’m freezing,” she responded. His concerned expression deepened -- no, that wasn’t a good sign.    
  
“Uncle…”

“It’s probably nothing to worry about, but I’m going to go get Katara just to be safe.”   
  
Nothing in her uncle’s clearly sugarcoated statement was remotely comforting.    
  
It was then that the door opened, and in came Ty Lee and Zuko.

“You’re awake!” her brother exclaimed. He sounded surprised.

“Disappointed?” she asked, though the sarcasm in her tone was diminished by her now labored breathing. Her pain was really starting to bite.   
  
“Good timing,” Iroh said, before he walked up to the two. She watched as he said something to them -- quietly enough that Azula couldn’t hear, what he said but it was enough to stir a reaction from the two of them. Iroh and Zuko quickly exited the room, leaving only Ty Lee.

Her former friend quickly rushed to her side. Azula realized that her hand was trembling, and wondered if Ty Lee noticed too. She looked up at Ty Lee, her gray eyes heavy with concern...no, it was fear.   
  
“Ty Lee…I need you to tell me what’s going on,” she stated, weakly, “And please, don’t sugar-coat it.” She was starting to feel nauseous, on top of everything else.   
  
“You have a fever…it might be nothing, but it could be a sign that...one of your wounds is infected.”   
  
“I see,” is all she replied. It wasn’t good news, but Azula was thankful to receive a straight answer. Ty Lee reached out, and grabbed Azula’s left hand. The acrobat clutched it tightly. Instinct told Azula to rip her hand away but...she resisted. It was comforting.   
  
“Are you scared?” Ty Lee asked. The question took Azula off guard.    
  
“What a stupid question,” she responded. She looked to Ty Lee, to see if she reacted to her biting answer, but her face remained steady. She clutched Azula’s hand a little tighter.    
  
“I guess it is,” Ty Lee smiled at Azula, “I know I would be.”   
  
The door to the room opened as Katara hurriedly rushed in, her brother and uncle not far behind. Ty Lee stood up, and much to Azula’s disappointment, let go of her hand. She moved aside, Katara taking her place by her side.   
  
“You’re not going to attack me again, are you?” The was a certain kindness to the waterbender’s voice, perhaps this was her way of breaking the ice.    
  
“I haven’t decided yet,” Azula responded. Katara bent down, so that she could be more eye-level with her patient. She felt Azula’s forehead, just as Iroh had done earlier. The same concerned look crossed her face, and the waterbender turned to Zuko.   
  
“I need you to get me a cold towel,” her voice was steady but authoritative. Zuko nodded, before running out of the room.

Katara turned back to Azula.

“I’m going to need someone to help me with this examination,” she explained, “Is there anyone who would make you more comfortable?”   
  
She looked to Ty Lee.   
  
“Yes, there is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a blast and a half writing this one. Thank you so much for all the kind words and love, it really means a lot!
> 
> The next chapter will be out Saturday! Once again, thank you for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CONTENT WARNING  
> Graphic description of a burn wound and stab wound.

_It had happened so fast. Ty Lee had been doing a front flip, a trick she'd done a million times before. But this time, she'd stumbled on her landing. She felt a snap - and at age ten, Ty Lee felt more pain than she'd ever felt in her entire life._

_She was screaming and sobbing, leaning her weight against Princess Azula as they made their way to the nurse's office. Azula had volunteered to escort her there._

" _You're such a crybaby," Azula said, as they made their way up a pair of stairs. Ty Lee yelped with each step._

" _I'm...s-sorry," snot was dripping from Ty Lee's nose as she cried, and the non-bender quickly wiped it on her sleeve. Ty Lee could tell from the face Azula made, that the princess found that particular action gross. She was expecting for her friend to continue to scold her, but instead, she paused._

" _What does it feel like?" Azula asked. Ty Lee looked at her, confused, "Your foot. What does it feel like right now?"_

" _I...I don't know," she said between sobs. Azula's golden gaze was piercing, and Ty Lee figured it wouldn't be enough "it feels...like it was snapped off."_

" _Yeah?" Azula asked, almost sounding excited. Ty Lee nodded._

" _Yeah...and any time I put weight on it, it feels like it's on fire."_

_Azula paused, looking down at Ty Lee's ankle. Even though Azula had been supporting Ty Lee's weight, she still had to step on it. The nurse's office was all the way on the other side of the school grounds._

_Azula stopped and squatted down._

" _Get on my back," she instructed, "come on, I'll carry you."_

" _R-really?" Ty Lee asked. The princess smiled, and nodded._

_She carried Ty Lee to the nurse's office, while continuing to get all the morbid details about Ty Lee's injury. And despite her pain, as she clung to Azula's back, she felt safe._ _By the time they made it to the nurse's office, Ty Lee was no longer crying._

_Maybe that had been Azula's plan all along._

* * *

The worst injury Katara ever treated had been when Aang was struck by Azula's lightning, back in Ba Sing Se. He should be dead. The only reason Aang was still alive, was because Katara had used the spiritual water Master Pakku had given her from the north pole. Thank the spirits, she didn't waste it.

She had spent the next six agonizing weeks tending to Aang. At that time, she learned more about the human body than she ever did at her healing classes in the North Pole. It was weird to think about, but Aang's injury had given her the experience and knowledge needed to treat life-threatening injuries she otherwise wouldn't have been able to do anything about.

This knowledge came in handy a few months later when she treated Zuko for the same cruel lightning that had nearly taken Aang. She never told Zuko this, but she had cut it very close that day. Had she not been able to subdue Azula and get to his side when she did…

There was no use dwelling on what-ifs. She was here now, healing the source of that very lightning. Only now, Azula was completely conscious, and Katara was terrified. This was her first time healing someone who actively wanted to kill her. Of course, Azula was severely injured - for once, Katara could honestly say that the former princess posed no threat. However, healing is a fine art, and it's made much more complicated when the patient does not trust their healer. Azula was the perfect (or, not so perfect) combination of paranoid and prideful, which meant that unless Katara could get the former princess to trust her, Azula would resist all her attempts at healing.

" _I'm going to need someone to help me with this examination,"_ she explained _, "Is there anyone who would make you more comfortable?"_

Katara knew that the firebender would never fully trust her, not after their fight over the water grates. However, if there was someone that Azula felt safer around, that might be the one thing able to make a difference.

" _Yes, there is."_

Azula's eyes flickered to Ty Lee. The acrobat immediately understood what was being asked of her, and stood to attention. Her resolve was strong.

"Let me know if you need anything," Iroh said, before quietly making his way out of the room. He knew how important it was that Azula trusted the people in the room, and that his presence might impede the process.

The door closed, as Katara took a deep breath, trying to clear her mind. She couldn't afford to lose her focus, not even for a second. She gently placed a hand on Azula's forehead and felt. She was hot - much hotter than a firebender should be. Not a good sign.

"I need you to sit her up," Katara instructed. Ty Lee nodded, and carefully lifted Azula to a sitting position. The firebender winced with the movement.

"Azula…" Ty Lee started to say.

"I'm fine," Azula hissed back, cutting her off, "Just...get it over with."

"I need you to hold her there while I do this examination, alright?"

"You got it," Ty Lee responded. Azula's head started to lean on Ty Lee's shoulder - the firebender didn't have the strength to hold it up. Katara found it impossible to ignore the excited flicker in Ty Lee's eyes as Azula did so.

Katara's hand hovered over the bandages covering Azula's shoulder, "I'm going to remove these, is that alright?" She was trying to talk Azula through everything she was doing, on the off chance it might ease the firebender's nerves.

"Are you asking permission?" Azula asked, skeptically.

"Yes," Katara waited, watching to see what Azula would do. The firebender's eyes glanced at Ty Lee, and Katara saw the acrobat tighten her hold on Azula. There was a pause, before Azula weakly nodded, and Katara began carefully undoing the wrapping. Azula jerked her arm as air met the wound on her shoulder. Skin singed beyond repair outlined the injury - Katara had no doubt it would leave a nasty scar.

Katara closed her eyes, pulling the water from her canister. With a deep breath, she lowered it to the wound. Azula yelped as the liquid made contact - no doubt the icy water stung. Ty Lee held her a little bit closer, and Katara continued.

_Thump thump. Thump thump._

The most surreal thing about healing was feeling a patient's pulse. Katara, in all her experience, had always been taken off guard by it. It was nothing like the push and pull of water, and didn't move how water normally flowed.

It was deliberate and rhythmic. Steady.

She could feel the energy moving throughout Azula's body. Her muscles and organs, and all of their sacred functions. Her blood, steadily keeping her alive.

_Thump thump. Thump thump._

Azula had lost a lot of blood in her encounter, and her body was still trying to make up for it. It was a problem that would have to be dealt with soon, though Katara needed to focus on other things right now. It was going to be a long night.

With a deep breath, she focused in on Azula's wound, and the energy surrounding it. She concentrated on how the energy felt around the area. If there was an infection, it would feel _different_. So far, she didn't feel anything, though that might have something to do with Azula's resistance to her. Still, she decided to check the other wound.

Her water left the wound, and Azula let out a sharp breath.

"I thought healing from a waterbender is supposed to make you feel _better,"_ she muttered, her eyes following Katara with every movement. Katara wondered if Azula was trying to get a rise out of her. It would be in character.

"I'm going to look at your other injury now, alright?"

"Do what you must."

Once again, she slowly undid the bandages. They were almost pulled off when she heard a sharp gasp from Azula. Katara turned to attention and noticed that the firebender's eyes were wide and looking down. The waterbender sighed. This wasn't going to be good.

Azula stared wide-eyed at her injury. This one looked nastier than her shoulder. Charred flesh, still with blood and pus seeping from it. Slowly, Azula's hand reached towards the wound, a small tremble in her wrist.

Katara gently held onto the firebender's arm, just before Azula touched the injury.

"Touching it will make it worse," Katara explained, meeting Azula's golden gaze. The healer was worried about the panic in the firebenders's eyes.

Azula jerked her wrist away from Katara, "It's going to scar, isn't it?" There was still a bite to her voice, but it was hollow. Almost on instinct, her hand once again reached towards her injury.

It was then that she heard the sound of the door quickly opening, followed by hurried footsteps. Zuko had returned, holding a basket of cold towels.

"I've brought the…" he stopped mid-sentence, and Katara watched as his face dropped as he took in the towels, "...the towels. I brought the towels you asked for."

"Put them on the bed," Katara instructed. He nodded, quickly bringing the towels to the foot of the bed. As he did so, Katara once again had to stop Azula's hand from touching her injury.

"Let go of me," And once again, Azula jerked her hand away from Katara's steady grip. Her eyes flickered up to Zuko. She smiled, "Like what you see, Zuzu?"

"Of course not," Zuko snapped back. Azula smirked. Katara noticed how he turned his head away, as if he was trying to avoid looking altogether.

"Let me know if you need anything else," he said, a bit awkwardly. Then, he quickly made his way out of the room.

Back to the task at hand.

Azula hissed as the water made contact, her body jerking at the touch. But Ty Lee was on it, quickly grabbing onto Azula's hand.

"It's okay, it's okay," she spoke, her voice quiet and gentle, "it'll be over soon, Azula. You're doing great."

"I'm not a child, Ty Lee," Azula snapped. Despite her reaction, Katara saw her clutch onto Ty Lee's hand a little bit tighter.

Katara closed her eyes, and once again focused on the energy of Azula's wound. This one felt a little bit different, and Katara sensed a twisted energy. She sighed.

"You have a small infection," Katara said, "I can take care of it, but it's going to hurt."

"I'll manage," she said, "just...give me a moment to brace myself."

Katara nodded. She watched as Azula closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. The firebender stayed like that for a beat, before her golden eyes flickered open, and she turned her head to face Ty Lee.

"Okay."

They laid Azula onto her back, and Ty Lee placed one of the cold towels on the firebender's forehead. Once again, Katara brought her water to Azula's injury. Katara coated her hand in the water, and went to work.

* * *

Zuko stood outside the door, struggling to catch a breath. He thought he was finally prepared for what he was going to see. That since he already saw her once, he'd have no trouble continuing to see her. He didn't think it would affect him this much.

Yet here he was, shaking. He brought an unsteady hand and gently touched his scar. Deep breath in, deep breath out. He needed to go clear his head.

He made his way to the kitchen, where he knew his uncle would be.

As he walked in the kitchen, he was greeted to the sight of Iroh humming as he cleaned. He was assisted by Mai, of all people. A smile graced her normally stoic features. She was laughing at something.

Their attention turned to Zuko as he entered.

"How's she doing?" Mai asked as Zuko took a seat at the table. He shrugged.

"I don't know," he replied. Once again, he found himself gently touching his scar.

The worst moment of Zuko's life had been the first time he saw his face, after the Agni Kai with his father. In seeing his mangled face, and the beginnings of a scar he'd bare for the rest of his life, everything set in. Everything else up until that point had felt like a bad dream.

When his father burnt him, he had been in so much pain, he hadn't quite processed the reality of his situation. But when he looked at the mirror for the first time with bandages off - that's when it all clicked. He could have died. His father did this to him. He would bare this mark for the rest of his life. He remembered how his mind had raced with what-ifs. What if he'd never spoken out? What if he tried to fight back? _What if he died?_

He remembered how his uncle had to constantly tell him not to touch it, that touching it would make it worse. Still, despite the warnings, he couldn't help himself. This was a piece of his body he'd seen so many times, and now it was like _this_ , and it would never return to how it was. Being able to touch it...it gave him a sense of control of the situation.

Now, he had watched Azula go through the same thing. He saw a look of fear in her eyes he'd never seen before, as Katara fought her touching the wound. He knew that look well.

"How are you doing?" Mei had continued, taking a seat next to him. He looked at her and shrugged.

Iroh approached the table and set down three small cups.

"Thanks, uncle, but I don't feel like tea right now," he said. Iroh chuckled and reached for something at the top of the cabinet.

"Those cups aren't for tea," he responded. He walked over with a bottle - sake. He gingerly started pouring it into the cups, "take this as an opportunity to unwind, and you can talk to us much or as little as you want."

"Sounds great," Mai's hand shot towards the cup, and she quickly brought it to her lips. The young Fire Lord smiled, and followed her lead.

He was grateful.

* * *

Azula's grip on Ty Lee's hand was so tight, that Ty Lee wondered if her fingers were going to go numb. With her free hand, she exchanged the towel on Azula's forehead with a fresh one. Ty Lee's fingers gently grazed the firebender's forehead as she did so - it was burning.

Ty Lee looked to Katara, who was deep in her focus. Ty Lee wondered if there was more she could be doing, but she figured if there was, Katara would let her know.

Suddenly, Azula yelped, jerking her body. The grip on Ty Lee's hand tightened. Katara glanced up, but continued her work.

She looked at the side table by the bed and saw the cold tea - the painkilling one that Iroh had left. With her free hand, she reached for it.

"Would this help?" she asked. Katara looked at it and nodded.

"It might help ease things," the waterbender replied, "but it's up to you, Azula."

She lifted her water-encased hand from Azula's wound, Azula once again yelping as the hand left her body.

"How much longer do you plan on doing this?" she asked, sounding out of breath.

"At least another few hours," Katara responded. Azula nodded.

"Fine."

Ty Lee helped lift Azula up to a sitting position, handing her the cup. Azula clutched onto it, barely able to grasp it in her hands. Still, the firebender managed to bring it to her lips, before chugging it all down. She winced.

"Easy," Ty Lee said.

"I'm just getting it over with," Azula replied.

They lay her back down on her back and went back to the job at hand. Ty Lee watched as Katara brought her water-encased hand back to Azula's injury. Azula yelped as it made contact. Ty Lee's instinct was to encourage Azula, and praise how well her former friend was handling this - but Azula had already snapped at her about that. She wanted to say something to comfort Azula, but she couldn't find the words.

She tried to think. Ty Lee didn't have a lot of experience in comforting Azula. For as long as Ty Lee's known her, she's been as independent as they come. Ty Lee could only imagine how that made Azula feel, on top of everything else.

Still, Azula gripped her hand tightly, and Ty Lee remembered how Azula had rested her head on her shoulder earlier. On top of that, Azula requested that Ty Lee be with her. Even though Ty Lee didn't understand why Azula wanted her in there.

She wanted to help make Azula as comfortable as possible. Maybe if Azula didn't want to be comforted, talking would help. It was worth a shot.

That's when Ty Lee remembered - when she hurt her ankle, all those years ago, how Azula had talked her through the pain.

"What does it feel like?" she asked. Azula looked up to her and winced.  
  
"The healing or the injury?" Azula asked.

"Either, both."  
  
"It feels like I was stabbed. Like I burned myself to keep from bleeding out," Azula paused, looking over Ty Lee, "But the healing...it's cold," she started to say, "It stings...it feels like there's a venom, eating away at me."

Ty Lee nodded, "If you don't mind me asking...how did this happen?"

Azula made a sound that almost sounded like a laugh. Katara glanced at Ty Lee, a cautious look. But she stayed focused.

"Are you going to believe a word I say?"

"Probably not," Katara cut in. It was quiet, almost a mumble, but they both heard it. Azula smiled, turning her attention towards the waterbender.

"What are you doing?" she asked, changing the subject. Her head was lifted, and she was looking at Katara. Katara seemed a bit taken off guard.

"I'm...helping your body fight the infection," she said.

"But how?" she continued. Katara glanced back down at Azula's wound.

"Well…" Katara started to say, and Ty Lee watched as she hesitated. She seemed conflicted, but continued, "it's kind of complicated."

"Enlighten me," Ty Lee recognized the tone in Azula's voice - the morbid curiosity. She felt the grip on her hand lighten up, and Ty Lee wondered if Azula was starting to relax.

Katara sighed, "Well...infections are caused when your body is unable to fight the germs that enter the wound. Specifically, when your blood is unable to make enough white blood cells to fight the infection. I'm just...encouraging your blood to produce more white blood cells, so to speak."

A dark smile twisted on Azula's lips, one Ty Lee was all too familiar with. It was the smile she had whenever she was about to play with her food.

"Can you feel my blood?" Azula asked. Ty Lee watched as Katara turned her gaze away.

"Yes," Her voice was cautious. Azula's eyes lit up with a certain calculating glint.

"Does that mean you can bend blood?"

The room went quiet, and Ty Lee watched as Katara stiffened. The water quickly responded with a firm, "No, I can't." and continued her work.

"Well, that's boring," Azula sighed, but she seemed a bit more relaxed now. Ty Lee figured Azula's morbid line of questioning was her way of getting back some control over the situation.

The room fell back into silence, as Katara finished. Azula seemed to ease into the operation. Still, her grip on Ty Lee's hand remained.

It was the first time in two days, that Ty Lee felt like everything might be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry for totally lying about when I'd get the next chapter out. I started a new job, and woefully overestimated how much I'd be able to actually write. Chapters should be back to updating regularly after a couple more weeks, when this job is over (yay freelance!). Either way, thanks for bearing with me. I hope it was worth the wait!
> 
> Also, another factor that contributed to the lateness of this chapter, was because while writing aspects of this chapter, I had an idea for a two-shot involving Katara and her relationship with bloodbending and healing. 
> 
> Anyways, thanks once again for all the kind words and love, it really means a lot. I'm going to do my best to get the next chapter up ASAP!
> 
> Have a great week!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Graphic description of a burn, processing trauma, trauma flashbacks.

Azula struggled to keep her eyes open. Whatever procedure Katara had done had wiped out the little energy that Azula had. It took everything the firebender could muster not to drift yet again into unconsciousness. She was so tired of being unconscious. At the same time, the procedure had been painful -- the water against her wound was so cold it burned. Being able to ask questions to Katara had helped -- she was greatful but only so much.

It was odd. Pain should have helped her stay awake, but instead, it had the opposite effect. As if going to sleep was all she needed to make the pain go away -- all she needed to do was close her eyes. 

She gripped onto Ty Lee’s steady hand, using the acrobat as an anchor. If the pain became too much to handle, she would squeeze it tightly. 

Ty Lee would always squeeze back. A small comfort. 

Occasionally, Ty Lee would look down to her, and gingerly wipe the sweat from her brow. Her eyes were calm, and incredibly, Ty Lee never lost her assuring smile. Azula had known that smile for what felt her entire life. At some point, the firebender noticed how Ty Lee seemed to be glowing. Maybe it was the way the light reflected off the acrobat. More likely, it was because Azula was growing delirious. 

Eventually, Katara finished her procedure. Whether it had taken hours or minutes, Azula didn’t know. One of the most annoying things about this whole situation, was that she had lost all sense of time. She didn’t even know what day it was, or how long it had been.

She was lifted back into a sitting position, and Katara brought out a roll of bandages.   
  
“Almost done,” Katara said. Azula let out a deep breath -- and looked down towards her wound. She wanted to catch one last glimpse of it, before it was covered in bandages.   
  
She was met with charred flesh, colored a sickening burnt pink. Even though this was the second time she’d seen it, she still gasped. It was proof of everything that happened -- an ugly reminder of that man, and the fact that he’d somehow gotten the better of her. 

“Azula…”

She could see flashes of that night -- that bloodied silver knife coming out of her flesh, that gleeful twinkle in his eyes as he held the knife to her throat. When he pressed it deeper.  
  
“Azula,”

Katara held her wrist -- their hands hovering over her scar. Azula hadn’t noticed that she’d reached down to touch it.

“Azula, touching it will only…”

“It will only make it worse, I get it,” she pulled her wrist from Katara’s grip, and turned her gaze away from the waterbender. Katara picked up the bandages, and Azula winced as they gently touched her flesh. Somehow, even this stung.

Eventually, the waterbender finished. The waterbender lifted her hands, and as the she stood, Azula could see just how tired she was. Her face seemed hollow, and there were heavy bags under her eyes. 

Still, for some reason, the waterbender smiled at her.  
  
“I’m going to get some rest,” she turned her attention to Ty Lee, “Are you good to watch over her? Or do you want me to get someone else?”

Azula stiffened. And leave her with one of those other imbeciles? She didn’t have the mental energy to deal with any of them. Would they leave her to be tortured by her uncle's “wisdom,” or her brother's angst? Maybe they’d leave her with the Avatar -- wouldn’t that be a hoot.   
  
Or maybe, they’d leave her with Mai -- that was the last thing Azula wanted to deal with. She could only imagine how that would end. Maybe she could antagonize the knife-wielding traitor into finishing what she started at Boiling Rock. 

“No, that’s okay,” Ty Lee assured, “I’m more than happy to stay.” Azula noticed that Ty Lee’s normally cheery demeanor was subdued. Most likely, she was also tired.   
  
Katara nodded her head, and left the room. The door closed with a creak, leaving just the two of them.

Azula glanced up at Ty Lee...and that’s when she noticed that the two were still holding hands. Ty Lee noticed it as well, her face turned pink and she quickly released Azula’s hand.

“Sorry,” she squeeked. A pink formed on her cheeks.

“It’s fine,” Azula replied. Truth be told, she wished Ty Lee didn’t let go. Not out of sentiment, or anything...Ty Lee’s hand had been the key thing grounding her, keeping her awake. She just wasn’t ready to go back to sleep.

Still, what was she going to do, ask Ty Lee to hold her hand again? She had her pride. Besides, considering their history...she figured it would be inappropriate. 

Everything went silent, as neither girl knew what to say. There was a giant elephant-koi in the room, and it’s name was Boiling Rock. They hadn’t spoken since Ty Lee turned on Azula, and Azula had her locked away. Every time they’d seen each other since then, they’d been battling in some way. Ty Lee was one of the most formidable warriors Azula had ever met, fighting as enemies only proved that. She was agile, and gifted at reading her opponent's next move. Ty Lee was no airhead.

The wind gently rustled outside. Ty Lee’s gray eyes looked at her, before flickering away. Azula sighed, before glancing down. She could see a little bit of pink on her bandages, right where her injury was. She couldn’t get the image of it out of her mind -- how it looked against her skin. Her brain flashed back to seeing the knife being pulled out of her abdomen, steel turned crimson with her blood. She remembered the man’s cruel laugh, as he held the bloodied blade to her neck. The look in his eyes...

Azula felt a lump form in her throat, and she gulped. He almost killed her. With just a quick flick of his hand, he could have sliced her throat -- and that would have been that. She shook her head. No, that man had paid the price for daring to mess with her, she made sure of that. It was in the past.

Still...what if she’d been more vigilant? What if she had reacted just a second sooner, would she have been able to avoid his knife? What if she hadn’t immediately dismissed him as a threat? Normally, she was convinced that everyone was out to get her...why was this the moment she decided to let her guard down?

She thought of her wound, and how it looked. What would leave the bigger scar? The stab, or the burn? She hadn’t realized her hand was creeping towards the bangages, until her wrist was suddenly grabbed by Ty Lee. Azula snapped her head towards the acrobat. 

“Katara said you shouldn’t touch your bandage,” she said kindly. A gentle reminder. Still, her facade was starting to slip -- Azula could hear the exhaustion in her voice.

Azula pulled her hand away from Ty Lee’s, “Well, Katara’s not here.”  
  
She met Ty Lee’s eyes, they pleaded with her not to be difficult. Azula sighed, dropping her hand. Reaching for her bandages had been unintentional, anyways. 

The room went back to it’s ugly silence. Azula wondered if it would be best if she let herself fall asleep -- but that might be awkward in it’s own way. She wasn’t thrilled at the idea of someone watching her rest, even if it was Ty Lee. 

Still, it wasn’t like they could just make small talk and pretend nothing had happened between them. 

Ty Lee let out a sharp breath, breaking the silence.   
  
“How did it happen?” Ty Lee’s words were slow and cautious. Azula clenched her fists -- it wasn’t the question she thought would be asked. 

She looked up at Ty Lee, debating if she should share her experience. If she told Ty Lee, Ty Lee would most likely tell the others. Maybe it was best she didn’t say anything, she thought. She didn’t know how, but Zuko might be able to use this information against her.

Besides, she wasn’t sure if she even wanted to talk about it.  
  
“Does it matter?” if she was dismissive enough of the question, Ty Lee would drop it. That was the hope, anyway.  
  
“It might help Katara with her treatment, if she knew what happened,” was Ty Lee’s response. Azula glared at acrobat -- a non-verbal warning to end this line of thought. Ty Lee met her eyes, and kept going, “And if whoever did this to you is still out there...”  
  
“He’s not,” Azula cut her off, her voice practically a growl, “I made sure of that.” 

Ty Lee’s eyes widened, before she quickly turned her head away. Another silence filled the room. 

Ty Lee spoke up, “I’m sorry.”  
  
Azula tilted her head. She couldn’t explain why, but she felt a pit of guilt in her stomach. 

  
“Why do you really want to know what happened so badly?” Azula asked. 

“I’m just…I guess...” Ty Lee paused, as she tried to think of what to say. She eventually stopped, and took a deep breath, “Azula, we haven’t seen you in over a year -- and then you just appeared, almost dead, at my front door?” Azula could start to see tears form in Ty Lee’s eyes, “So much has happened in the past few days...I just want to make sense of it.”  
  
The pit of guilt in Azula’s stomach deepened. If it hadn't been for Ty Lee, Azula would most likely be dead. Ty Lee didn’t have to do any of this. They were enemies after all, the acrobat easily could have left Azula to bleed out and die. There would have been one less threat to the Fire Nation. 

But she didn’t. After everything the firebender has done, Ty Lee still saved her. Azula had vague memories of Ty Lee holding her and crying, assuring her that everything was going to be okay. 

Leaving her to die had never been an option to Ty Lee. 

She sighed, relenting, “You know that seedy nightclub near here? The Blazin’ Moo-Sow ?”  
  
Ty Lee nodded, “Yeah.”   
  
“While I was leaving...some low-life tried to mug me,” she remembered turning around...casually walking out of the alley as he jeered at her. She remembered the sound of his approaching footsteps, and tensed, “He was...faster than I anticipated. A lot faster. By the time I noticed him, he...”

She stopped mid-sentence, her hand gently touching her shoulder. She could feel a small tremble in her wrist. What if she hadn’t underestimated him? What if she never turned her back to him? 

Ty Lee was still watching her, her gray eyes filled with pity. She dropped her hand from her shoulder and looked away. The last thing she needed was Ty Lee’s pity.

“...it doesn’t matter,” she finished, “he stabbed me, and I incinerated him.” She felt a lump in her throat and took a deep breath. She couldn’t let herself get worked up over this, especially in front of Ty Lee. Still, she found herself looking down at the bandage on her abdomen. 

Suddenly, she felt Ty Lee’s hand grab onto hers. Instinctively, she wanted to pull away.  
  
But she didn’t.

Another silence filled the room, but this time, it was welcome. 

She closed her eyes.

* * *

The next thing Azula knew, sunlight was pouring into her window. Birds chirped outside, and judging from the breeze on her face, Azula guessed that the window was open.  
  
Her vision was blurry, but slowly coming into focus. Someone was next to her. She could make out brown hair…but as her vision became clearer -- she saw that it was not Ty Lee who was with her. It was Suki. 

Wonderful.

Judging from the disdain on Kyoshi Warrior’s face, she wasn’t thrilled about this situation either. At least they had that in common.   
  
“Where’s Ty Lee?” Azula asked -- it was small talk.   
  
“On an errand,” was Suki’s quick response. 

“What errand?”

Suki glanced down at her, a glare. If there was one thing that was nice about being stuck with Suki, it was that Azula knew where they stood. Azula hated her, she hated Azula. At the very least, the firebender felt less of an obligation to play nice.  
  
“She’s checking on something for Zuko,” Suki said, matter-of-factly.

“She’s investigating what happened to me,” Suki didn’t need to answer, the look on the Kyoshi Warrior’s face said it all. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips coiled into something resembling a smirk. Clearly no love was lost between the two, “Let me guess. She relayed what I told her Zuko -- he doesn’t believe me, so he’s having her check the details.”

“Something like that,” that’s when Azula realized that Suki was holding a small bowl of rice -- the Kyoshi Warrior noticed where Azula’s attention had been turned to. She seemed to soften, as she said “Oh, this is for you.”

Azula stared at the bowl, skeptically.   
  
“I’m not hungry,” she said, turning her head away from it. However, her point became undermined, as her stomach chose that moment to growl. Of course it did.

Suki sighed, “Look, there are a million ways you can make our lives difficult while you’re here. But Tte sooner you’re better, the sooner…”  
  
“The sooner you can have me locked away,” Azula cut her off. She noticed how the Kyoshi Warrior tensed, and smiled, “Have you decided where you’re going to put me? Back at the institution? Fort Yasakai? Boiling Rock?” Suki bit her lip, and her eyes flickered away -- telling Azula that the latter was the answer.

“No, we’re gonna let you go and hope you’ve turned over a new leaf,” Suki glared, her voice layered with bitter sarcasm.

“Will you visit me as much as I visited you?” Azula taunted, smiling wickedly, “I always enjoyed our visits.”

“I’m sure you did,” Suki spat back, her fists clenched. Azula giggled -- this was almost too easy. 

Her small victory was short lived, however, as her stomach growled again. She looked at the bowl of rice. 

“Still not hungry?” Suki asked, smiling. Azula sighed. As hollow as her stomach felt, the idea of eating made her nauseous. Still, as much as she didn’t want to admit it, Suki was right. She needed to maintain what little strength she had.  
  
“Fine.”

Suki began to hand Azula the food. The firebender’s hand was trembling, and as she grabbed the porcelain bowl, it took everything she had not to drop it. Suki’s disdainful look was replaced by one of worry, as she watched Azula struggle. Still, the Kyoshi Warrior didn’t say anything.

Azula took a deep breath. The rice was fresh, and the bowl felt warm in her hand. It felt heavier than any bowl of rice should be -- and her hands trembled more. She stared down at the food -- suddenly not confident in her ability to eat it like a dignified human being.

Still, she grabbed the chopsticks -- she had to try. Holding the bowl as steady as she could, she took a clump of rice. Slowly, she brought the food to her lips. Her arm shook more and more as she moved the food closer to her mouth…

Suki, for her part, looked down at her lap -- trying not to look at Azula. It was humiliating. She felt her face becoming hot, and her hand trembled more. She paused. She knew if she kept trying, she’d spill. 

“I bet you love seeing me like this,” Azula muttered. Suki shook her head.  
  
“No,” she replied, “I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.” Her voice was surprisingly gentle. It pissed Azula off -- Suki had only changed her tone because she felt sorry for her.   
  
“I don’t need your pity,” Azula tried to sound defiant, but the fight in her voice was gone. Her words were hollow. She took a deep breath and tried again. She focused on keeping her hand steady...slowly she lifted her hand...

Just before the rice met her lip, her shoulder flared up. Azula yelped, dropping the bowl and the chopsticks, spilling the rice all over herself and the bed. Was this what she’d been reduced to? Was she so weak she could no longer _feed herself_? She looked down, seeing the bandage that was wrapped around her side. She remembered her scar, the man who did this to her, and that night.

She heard Suki take a sharp breath, and turned her head towards the Kyoshi Warrior. Her face was flushed, and her eyes wide. Even she didn’t know how to react. 

“Azula, I…” she started to say, but the former-princess didn’t want to hear it.   
  
“Get out,” Azula growled. Suki shook her head.   
  
“I can’t do that,” she replied. Azula felt tears start to form in her eyes -- was she honestly about to cry over spilled rice? She clenched her fists. No, she wasn’t going to take that answer.   
  
“Get out!” she screamed the words with everything she had, lunging at Suki. It was the only thing she could think of to do. Her injuries flared with the sudden movement, but she didn’t care. 

She felt herself fall from the bed, only to be caught by Suki.

She really was helpless.

* * *

“Man, we haven’t been here in forever…” Mai said, looking up at the sign of the bar. “The Blazin’ Moo-Sow” -- the sign was faded with time and in desperate need of a new paint job. The place reeked of old booze and cigarettes. It was the kind of place that nobles, in all their stuffiness, would avoid like the plague -- which is exactly why Mai liked it here.   
  
Ty Lee giggled. She and Mai had come here together on more than one occasion to let off some steam. It wasn’t the nicest of places, sure, but the music was loud and the drinks were cheap. Every once in awhile, Ty Lee would convince Suki and the other warriors to accompany them and make it a full-on girls night.   
  
Sometimes, Mai was surprised at how comfortable Ty Lee was in places like this. Then again, Ty Lee had spent years in the circus. This seemed like the type of bar circus people would go to. What surprised her even more, was the idea that Azula had been here. Mai figured that Azula would rather drop dead, then enter a place like this. The idea that this was where Azula had gotten injured...it was unsettling. 

Of course, there was the very real possibility that the firebender had lied to Ty Lee about what had happened to her, but...

“This place is um....is, um...nice,” It was Aang, his gray eyes looked between the two girls, and he smiled awkwardly. Ty Lee and Mai laughed at his statement. 

“No it’s not,” Mai replied, smirking, “come on, let's get this over with.”

Aang nodded, and immediately started to walk towards the entrance. Mai sighed, before grabbing the kids by the shoulders. 

“Hold on...” she said. She reached into the pockets on her robe, and pulled out a black, silk scarf. It had been a gift from Zuko back when they first started dating. She tossed it at the Avatar.

“What do I need this for?” He asked.   
  
“You’re the Avatar,” Mai replied, “You being here might make people...uncomfortable.”   
  
Aang nodded in understanding and quickly wrapped the scarf around his head. 

They entered. 

The musty bar had barely been open, with there only being a few patrons, staggered throughout the room. Most likely, they were trying to fight their hangovers with more alcohol. Mai rubbed her temple. She herself had done some heroic drinking with Zuko last night, and a little hair of the dog didn’t sound like a bad idea.

A bartender wiped down the counter -- he was an older man, with a jagged beard, and greasy hair. He seemed tired.

Aang took the lead, approaching the counter.   
  
“Hello!” his tone was entirely too cheery and definitely too loud. It earned the group a dirty look from the rest of the bar’s hungover patrons. Mai rolled her eyes -- of course, Aang had no sense of how to act in places like this.

Ty Lee took a step forward.

“I’ll take it from here,” she smiled sweetly at the bartender, and the man seemed more relaxed. “We have some questions about a fight that happened here a few nights ago.”    
  
He shrugged his shoulders, and smirked, “Sorry, sweetheart, can’t think of anything…” he gave her a knowing look. 

“Sweetheart?” Aang exclaimed, but Mai nudged him. While it was sweet he was so ready to defend Ty Lee, she didn’t need it. Ty Lee knew what she was doing.

The acrobat reached into her pocket, and pulled out three silver coins. She plopped them on the counter, and smiled oh-so-sweetly. She batted her eyelashes, just for good measure.    
  
“There was one incident,” the bartender said. He smirked, and shook his head, “Poor Ryuko -- bastard really bit off more than he could chew.”   
  
“Who is Ryuko?” It was Mai’s turn to ask the question. That was something they could work with -- a name. 

“Just a no-good drunken low-life,” he responded, “He’d hang out in the alleys around here, try to mug anyone he thought he could take on -- then spend everything on booze.”

“And you let him?” Aang exclaimed. Mai nudged his shoulder again, an indication to shut up. However, the bartender didn’t seem to mind Aang’s outburst. 

“What am I going to do, call the police? If I called the cops on every criminal that walked through this door, I’d be out of business,” he laughed, Ty Lee and Mai joining in the laughter.

“You said he bit off more than he could chew?” Ty Lee continued, “How so?”   
  
“There was this one woman who’d come here, every night,” he started, “She’d come in, and sit in that corner,” he pointed towards the back of the building, “She’d always leave right before we closed. I assumed she was trying to keep a low profile. But she left a little earlier that night and...I guess Ryuko got the jump on her as she left,” Ty Lee looked at Mai and Aang -- this certainly matched up with what Azula had told them.

“Then what happened?” Ty Lee asked.   
  
“She lit up the alleyway,” he sounded almost amazed, “it was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen...an inferno of brilliant blue flames.”

Mai watched as Ty Lee clenched her fists. That confirmed it. Ty Lee looked to Mai and Aang, who nodded.

“Thank you for your time,” Ty Lee bowed her head, leading the group away.    
  
They didn’t notice a mustached man in black, who sat a few chairs away. He turned his head to watch the group leave, and smirked.

“Hey,” he said. The bartender turned to him, and the man smiled deviously, “Did I hear you mention something about a firebender with a blue flame?” He pulled out a single gold coin, and placed it on the counter. The bartender’s eyes lit up as he grabbed it.

“What do you want to know?” he asked. The man smiled deviously.    
  
“Tell me everything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, thanks so much for the wait, friends! I appreciate all of you -- once again, thank you so much for the kind words and feedback. Even when life gets busy, seeing those notifications helped keep me motivated. So thank you!


	8. Chapter 8

The bartender eagerly explained how the trio had asked about a fight that had happened a few days before. He told him about how a mysterious woman murdered a mugger with a glorious blue fire. It was exactly the type of lead he’d been looking for.

Maybe his search would soon come to an end. What was even better, by the sound of it, his target didn’t escape the encounter unharmed. Maybe the fight weakened her...wouldn’t that be nice. 

The man smiled, as he walked out of the bar. He had work to do.   
  
That trio, whoever they were, could be the key to his hunt. With any luck, he’d be able to find them again -- if he followed them, they might lead him to his target.

He scanned the streets, seeing if he could spot the group…it shouldn’t be that hard, as they were a relatively distinctive-looking bunch. One was a solemn-looking girl dressed all in all black, one was an overly bubbly girl donned in the brightest of pinks, and finally, there was a boy with a scarf wrapped sloppily around his head. They stood out.

...And sure enough, he spotted them rounding the nearby corner.    
  
Excellent.   
  
He quickly made his way after them...but not too quickly. He had to be careful not to be seen -- it would be bad news if the trio caught on that he was following them. He was looking for information, not a fight.

At least, not yet.

It was then that the boy reached up and yanked the scarf off of his head. A distinctive blue arrow marked his bald head.  _ The Avatar.  _   
  
The man’s eyes widened, and he smiled. With that, he realized exactly who the two girls with him were.   
  
The girl in black was Mai -- a weapons specialist, and the Fire Lord’s girlfriend. And that meant that the girl in pink was Ty Lee -- the former circus performer, and master of the art of chi-blocking. During the war, the two served faithfully in an elite squad run by his target.

Yes, this meant he was close.    
  
He laughed, as he continued his quiet pursuit.

* * *

Ty Lee was doing her best to process the information they’d gotten from the bar. The bartender confirmed everything Azula had told her the night before. This meant that Azula had been truthful about what had happened to her, and Ty Lee didn’t know how to feel about that fact.

On one hand, what Azula went though was awful -- she wouldn’t wish it on anybody. But at the same time...Ty Lee found that she was relieved. Azula had actually told her the truth. Ty Lee realized that she hadn’t expected her former friend to be honest. Was she a jerk for expecting Azula to be lying? She told herself of course not -- after everything Azula had put them through -- everything Azula had put  _ her  _ through -- it was foolish to give the firebender the benefit of the doubt. 

So why couldn’t she stop feeling guilty?

Ty Lee didn’t want the others to know how she’d been feeling. This whole situation was stressful for everybody, not just her. The last thing the acrobat wanted to do, was make this about herself and her feelings. So she smiled as big as she could, and made sure to keep a spring in her step. However, from the look Mai was giving her, it was clear that the brooding goth saw right through her ruse. 

“It’s great that we could confirm Azula’s account,” Aang said, ever the optimist. He took off the scarf on his head, revealing his tattoos to the world, “at least that’s one less thing we have to worry about.”

There was something comforting about the Avatar’s statement. Knowing what had actually happened did make the situation a little bit easier to deal with. Ty Lee nodded her head -- whether or not she had believed Azula didn’t matter. Azula had told her the truth. She was honest. Maybe it meant that the princess wouldn’t fight them every step of the healing process. 

Maybe it meant she’d change. 

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Mai cut in, her voice distant cold, “For all we know, he’s working for her. Maybe he’s trying to get us to stop looking into things.”

Ty Lee felt her stomach drop at Mai’s words. She had been so busy self-wallowing in her guilt, she didn’t stop to think that maybe she’d let her guard down too quickly. If Azula’s injury was the result of a scheme gone wrong, it would make sense that she’d have a plan to get people off her trail. Azula always had a backup plan. 

“Do you really believe that?” Aang asked. Then, Mai paused. She sighed.   
  
“I don’t know,” she said -- an honest answer. Ty Lee heard the hesitation in Mai’s voice. It didn’t surprise her. Mai also had a complicated and messy history with the firebender. 

“But if Azula was working with that guy, why wouldn’t she have just gone to him when she was injured?” Aang asked. 

But he wasn’t met with an answer. Instead, something in Mai’s demeanor changed. Her eyes narrowed, and her body tensed, “Hey! I’m starving, we should get lunch.”

“But Iroh made lunch back at…” Aang tried to say. However, the Avatar was immediately cut off.

“And I’m getting sick of that old timer’s cooking. Come on, I know a place around here…”

Mai looked to Ty Lee, as if to silently say  _ trust me. _ Ty Lee nodded.   
  
“Oh, that sounds great!” the acrobat exclaimed. Ty Lee didn’t know what this was about, but she trusted Mai. 

“But…” Aang was cut off, as Mai grabbed his arm, and started dragging him away. The airbender quickly gave up his protest, and they were on their way.   
  
Subtly, Mai walked close to Ty Lee -- still dragging The Avatar along. She leaned into Ty Lee’s ear, and whispered:   
  
“We’re being followed.”

* * *

  
Zuko took a deep breath as he stood outside the door. His heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest at any moment. He groaned, he shouldn’t be this afraid to face his own sister.

Suki was in there now. Apparently, Azula had lashed out at her after struggling to eat a bowl of rice. When the group was alerted to what had happened, it was decided it would be best if someone switched out with Suki. Katara and Iroh had volunteered, but Zuko had insisted he be the one. He needed to face her sooner or later.

He held a drink in his hand...it’s contents were thick, green, and  _ putrid _ . A straw sat awkwardly in the middle of the drink. It truly was the world’s worst smoothie. Iroh had made it...apparently, it was what he’d give the injured soldiers in his unit if they found themselves unable to eat. Zuko didn’t imagine Azula drinking it willingly, but it was worth a shot.   
  
With one more deep breath, he gently opened the door.

He was met with the sight of Suki, who quickly stood up as he entered. She bowed her head.  
  
"Lord Zuko," she said. Her voice was calm and professional, but she still seemed visibly relieved. She’d been in the room for less than an hour, and she looked exhausted.   
  
Azula had that effect on people.

“I’ve got it from here,” Zuko said, and gave her a warm smile. 

“Right,” Suki nodded, and quickly made her exit, leaving the siblings in dense silence. It was just Azula and himself now.   
  
Azula lay in the bed, her head turned away from him. Zuko made his way to the chair next to the bed, looking at his sister for any sort of reaction. There was nothing.

It would be up to him to break the silence.   
  
“Uh...hey…” not the most eloquent greeting, but it was something. Still, she didn’t react, “I, uh...I brought you something.”

Azula sighed long and heavy, before muttering “You’re so awkward.” What would normally have been a scathing statement, was now monotone and hollow. 

She almost sounded...defeated. Zuko remembered the look on her face the night before, when she saw the scar that now marked her body. The way her lips trembled, and the look of fear in her eyes. It was the same look he'd had on his face, when he saw his scar for the first time -- the memory of seeing his face in the mirror that day forever burned into his memory. 

He set the beverage down on the table by the bed. Azula turned her head, eyes narrowing at the drink. Her face was paler than he’d ever seen it, and dark circles hung under her eyes.

Zuko gulped...he knew Azula wasn’t in good shape, but she looked worse than he’d ever imagined. Still, he forced a smile. He knew the last thing she wanted was his pity.

“...What is that awful smell?” she asked.

“I...don’t actually know,” Zuko replied. Azula looked up at him -- golden eyes that were normally so calculating were now empty. He couldn’t let that phase him, “Uncle made it.”

“Of course he did.”   
  
“Since you can’t eat…”   
  
“I’m not drinking that,” she half-heartedly spat back, before closing her eyes, “I feel nauseous enough as it is.”   
  
“You won’t recover if you don’t have something to...”

“I’m not drinking it,” she snapped. As apathetic as she sounded, Zuko found an odd reassurance in her stubbornness. His sister, ever the fighter.

“Do you want to get better or not?”   
  
Just then, Azula’s arm swung over to the side table, knocking the glass over and spilling its contents all over the Fire Lord. Zuko yelped, and sprang from his seat. His face turned pink with frustration   
  
“What’d you do that for?” he yelled. He looked down to his sister, expecting to see that smug look of superiority she’d always get every time she messed with him. 

But instead, Azula’s face was twisted in pain. Her breathing was labored -- and just like that, his anger settled. He crouched down to her level.

“Should I get Katara?” He asked, his voice quiet and soft.    
  
He was met with a glare, as she hissed out, “I’m  _ fine _ .” The tears forming in her eyes said otherwise.   
  
Even now, Azula was as stubborn as ever. 

“Azula,” he sighed, “why did you even come to us if you’re not going to accept our help?”    
  
“I didn’t come to you, Zuzu, I came to Ty Lee,” she said, her breathing still heavy. She was shaking, still obviously in pain.

“And what did you think Ty Lee was going to do?”

“I don’t know Zuzu, I was dying,” was her answer. She looked even paler than before.

Zuko wanted to say something back, but he didn’t want to aggravate her any further. Unfortunately, he had the feeling that she would fight him on anything he might say. She wanted to push him away, and there was nothing he could do about it.   
  
Then again, was he really surprised by this?    
  
He took a deep breath. In a weird way, he understood where she was coming from... at least a little bit. He remembered what it was like when he received his father’s permanent  _ gift.  _ He had been bedridden for a week, with various doctors and herbalists hired by his uncle doing everything they could to lessen the damage. The worst part wasn’t the unbearable pain...it was how weak and broken and  _ powerless  _ he’d felt.    
  
While their situations were different, he guessed that Azula felt similar to how he had. 

“You know, there is a bright side to all of this,” Zuko said, breaking the silence.    
  
“Is there?” Azula responded. Her voice was raspy weak.   
  
“At least your scars won’t be on your face,” he said, smiling ever-so-slightly.

Surprisingly, a small smirk crossed her face. His joke was actually appreciated.    
  
“At least there’s that,” she said, wincing. Zuko watched as Azula clenched her fists, and sighed. She turned her head away from him, “...I guess you can get Katara.”   
  
That was all he needed to hear. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello gang! Did Anyone else go back to school in these past few weeks? My courses are all zoom-classes, and man, they're all a mess. 
> 
> Anyways, this chapter is a little shorter. It was going to be longer, but the second half I felt worked better by itself. But hey, at least I'll be able to update a lot quicker!
> 
> Anyways, thanks once again for all the kind words. It means a lot!


	9. Chapter 9

Whoever this guy who was following them was, Mai could tell he was a professional. He had nearly disappeared into the crowd multiple times, and Mai was struggling to keep track of him, while simultaneously guiding her friends to safety.   
  
The thing that really stood out to Mai, was there was something familiar about the way this man moved. His movements were distinct, and Mai could have sworn she’d seen them before...though she couldn’t quite place where. If only she could remember, it might give the group a clue as to what this guy wanted.   
  
Luckily, the knife-wielding girl had a plan on how to shake him. She quickly led Ty Lee and Aang through the little marketplace, pushing them through the crowd. She could hear Aang and Ty Lee mutter things like “excuse us!” and “sorry!”, but Mai didn’t let it slow them down. 

She wasn’t trying to disappear in the crowd -- no, that was the worst thing she could do right now. This guy, whoever he was, was keeping track of their movements with ease. Chances are, trying to blend in with the crowd would only have the opposite effect -- Mai would lose sight of him, and he’d be able to keep tracking them like it was nothing.  
  
No, she had a better idea. It’s like she always said: the best way to keep track of a stalker was to not let him out of sight.

...Well, maybe she didn’t always say that, but hey, she could start. 

Mai led the group to a small hole-in-the-wall noodle shop that was almost _more_ seedy than the bar had been. Mai had been inside once before -- after a night of what could only be described as _heroic drinking_. Admittedly, she didn’t remember too many details about the shop...it was dingy, and barely any work had been doing to the interior. However, she remembered the food being to-die-for. Also, any time she passed the place while running an errand, there appeared to be almost nobody inside.   
  
Mai almost wondered if the little restaurant was actually a front of some kind...however, the food was _incredible_ , so she didn’t really care.   
  
Just as she predicted, the noodle shop was dead. In fact, when Mai, Ty Lee, and Aang entered the store, nobody but the staff was inside. They seemed surprised to have customers, and Mai couldn’t ignore the genuine fear in the staff’s eyes as they looked over at Aang, saw his tattoo, and figured out who he was.

Yeah, it was definitely a front for something. But long as they didn’t commit a crime in front of Aang, the young Avatar wouldn’t figure that out, and they had nothing to fear.

The group was seated, and they took their order. Mai kept an eye on the door. Surely by now, he would have figured out that the group had started to catch onto him...but he couldn’t enter the place without absolutely giving himself away. If he was dumb, he’d come in, and the trio could use it as an opportunity to apprehend and question him. If he was smart, he’d give up the pursuit...for now, at least.

Menus were placed in front of the group, and Ty Lee and Aang eagerly picked them up. Mai cracked a smile and felt her stomach growl. She realized she should think about eating as well.

“That was a really good catch, Mai,” Aang said, quietly. Now that the young Avatar was aware of their current situation, he seemed a lot more cautious. He poked his head towards the doorway, and now that she noticed, that was where Ty Lee’s attention was too. 

“If we’re all keeping guard, we’ll only look suspicious,” Mai instructed, “I’ll keep watch. You two act normal.”  
  
The two nodded...similar anxious expressions furrowing their faces. It was funny, looking at the two of them together. Oddly enough, they were similar in appearance. They had a similar facial structure...and more than that, they had the same expressive, stormy-gray eyes. Mai couldn’t think of anyone else who had eyes like that. 

Oddly enough, she’d once read in an old book that airbenders were known for their signature dark grey eyes. Perhaps the acrobat had some air nomad in her, somewhere deep in her lineage. 

The two were similar in their personality too...carefree, compassionate to a fault...Mai had a feeling Ty Lee would have fit right in with the Air Nomads. 

Well, maybe not right now. There was an unnatural stiffness about Ty Lee...it’d been there ever since Azula had re-appeared in their lives. Her carefree spirit was not chained to reality by worry and fear.   
  
And Mai didn’t blame her a bit. 

“If we’re being followed...we probably shouldn’t talk about what we were doing, huh?” she asked. Mai nodded.

There could be any number of reasons someone might be following them. Mai was the on-and-off-again (currently on) girlfriend of the Fire Lord, so she was a valuable target to anyone who might want to gain leverage over Zuko. Ty Lee was a Kyoshi Warrior, one of Zuko’s most elite guards. Anyone who had that information may see value in seeing where she goes...what secrets she may lead to. Aang was the Avatar...so that one was obvious. And of course, there was the possibility that this had something to due with Azula. 

Even though she had no proof, Mai suspected that was the case. Call it a gut feeling. 

Aang let out a heavy sigh, as he set down the menu  
  
“Well...if that’s the case, there has been something I’ve been meaning to ask,” Mai glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, the best she could do to not turn away from her makeshift post. She saw Ty Lee turn her head to him, “How did you two become friends with Azula in the first place.”

A small surprised squeak came from Ty Lee...and Mai had to admit, that wasn’t the question she’d been expecting. She tensed.

“Why do you care?” she snapped, more defensive then she’d meant to.  
  
“You don’t have to answer, I’m just curious,” Aang replied, sensing the edge to her tone. Mai sighed. It was an innocent enough question, after all.   
  
“In the world of Fire Nation nobility, marriages are usually arranged. It’s just another way to climb the social ladder.” Mai explained, “This may surprise you, but Zuko was the second most sought-after bachelor in the Fire Nation by the time he was a two.”

“Ew! That’s so creepy!” Aang exclaimed, his face scrunched in disgust. It was always amusing to see the horrified reactions of their non-fire nation friends, as they learned all the ridiculous traditions she'd grown up with. To them, it was a nightmare. To her, and Zuko, and Ty Lee, and even Azula, it was all they'd ever known for the longest of times. Mai laughed and nodded.

“Right? But since I was the same age as Zuko, and my dad only cared about climbing the social ladder, he’d drag me to the palace constantly. They’re some of my earliest memories.”

“I had no idea…” Aang said. Mai couldn’t help but laugh at how sad he sounded.  
  
“Yeah, it sucked. But that’s where I met Azula…” she paused, as she felt a weird warmth at the memory. She hadn’t felt warmth like that for Azula in...a while, “We both thought the whole thing was so stupid….so we’d run off and beat up Zuko together.”

Even from the corner of her eye, she could see Aang’s shocked expression. She allowed herself to look fully at it...his jaw was agape, and his eyes wide. Excellent.   
  
“You asked for the story about how Azula and I became friends...what did you expect.”   
  
“I guess that’s fair,” was Aang’s meek reply.

She heard a soft chuckle from Ty Lee, “I met Azula on the first day of the academy. I think I was five, maybe?”

Mai glanced at Ty Lee, and the acrobat seemed to relax, just a little bit. Mai wondered if she was happy to live in the memory. 

“When my sisters found out that Azula was a princess, they spent all day trying to get in with her...and she told them all to jump off a bridge and die, or something like that,” Ty Lee smirked, “They decided to get back at her, so they spent the rest of the day making the biggest wad-of gum they could. Then, at the end of the day, one of them stuck it in her hair...perfectly in her top-knot.”

“Her top-knot, huh?” Aang seemed stunned. As the Avatar, Aang understood the cultural significance that came with hair style, and how it physically represented one’s honor. He understood how devastating an act it was, “What...did she do to them?” He had chosen his words carefully.

Ty Lee only shrugged, “Nothing, we were five. But my sisters said I was the one who did it, and since no-one could tell us apart, everyone believed it was me.”  
  
“That’s terrible!” Aang exclaimed. Ty Lee smiled at him.   
  
“I got dragged out of class into the head-mistresses office. They told me I had to apologize to her, before facing my punishment,” she gingerly brushed a lose hair behind her ear, “But when I came into the room, Azula took one look at me, and told everyone that I wasn’t the one to do it. It was the first time anyone had ever been able to tell me apart from my sisters.” 

Ty Lee radiated warmth at the memory, and Mai couldn’t help but sigh.  
  
She couldn’t help but wonder if Aang’s question about their friendship was his way of trying to decode the enigma that was Azula. Throughout the past few days, Mai had heard more than one member of his group wonder out loud why Azula had gone to Ty Lee for help, of all people.   
  
But Mai didn’t have to answer that question, it really wasn’t that complicated.   
  
She remembered the day that Azula was talking about. She remembered going to the palace that day, and seeing the princess’s raven hair had been cropped just past her ears. She remembered how horse Azula’s voice had been that day, probably from crying, and seeing tear-stains mark her cheeks. It was one of the few times she’d seen Ozai look at Azula with disdain. She vaguely remembered him saying something about what a disgrace it was, to let that happen to her top-knot. To let that happen to her _honor._   
  
That day, they’d gone to the princess’s room. Mai had asked her if anything good had happened that day.   
  
_“Well,”_ Azula had said, _“I met this cool girl at school. She did fifteen cartwheels in a row at lunch. It was awesome.”_

Azula always had a deep admiration for Ty Lee, ever since the day they’d met -- and vice versa. The honest truth of the matter was, they loved each other. 

It was why Mai had been so shocked that day back at Boiling Rock, when Ty Lee turned on the princess to defend _her._ She didn’t think Ty Lee was capable of turning her back on Azula, much less attacking her.   
  
But still, while she was surprised to learn that Azula had come to Ty Lee for help, she wasn’t shocked.   
  
Azula still loved Ty Lee...even if she didn’t know it. She clenched her fists and stole a glance at her friend. Her cheeks were infused in a quiet pink...and it was clear Ty Lee still loved Azula as well. 

Mai sighed. She had a sinking feeling this whole situation was only going to end in tears. That Azula was only going to break Ty Lee’s heart, again. 

She saw something in the corner of her eye. She’d gotten too involved in the conversation...she wasn’t watching the door well enough.  
  
She turned, just in time to barely see the back of their stalker’s cloak, as he made his retreat.   
  
He was gone, by the time Mai turned around. She only caught the tail end of his emerald cloak flapping behind him, as he disappearing all to quickly into the shadows. But still...there was something about the way he moved.   
  
“Oh no,” she said, as she felt the blood drain from her face. Ty Lee and Aang turned to look at her. The worry in Ty Lee’s eyes was palpable, and she placed a hand on Mai’s shoulder.   
  
“What is it?” she asked.   
  
If Mai was correct in her guess, then their situation just got a whole lot more complicated.   
  
“The guy who was following us…” she paused, almost as if speaking it out loud would bring it into existence. She swallowed, “...I think he’s Dai Li.”

* * *

The group had caught on to him...and he had to admit, he was impressed. The raven-headed girl was smart...he wasn’t used to being figured out by one of his marks. She’d led their group into a small restaurant with no customers, no doubt as a way to dare him to make a move.  
There was no use pursuing this chase anymore -- clearly, she’d had some training on what to do in situations like this...which made sense, considering she was one of the three girls who’d infiltrated Ba Sing Se, and brought the great city to its knees.   
  
He admired her, truly. He knew when he was beaten.   
  
No matter. It was as his boss would say, when one door closes, find another way in.   
  
Luckily, he had just the idea. It might make his mission messier than it needed to be...but he had an idea on how to find the missing Fire Nation Princess.

He found himself back at the bar, in the alley. The cobblestone and surrounding bricks were scorched an ashen black. He smiled. That must have been one hell of a fire.  
  
He walked in, carefully looking at his surroundings. He needed something very particular to work...but if there had been a serious scuffle…

He paused. On the alley’s brick wall, he saw a bit of crimson poking its way from under the black. Was it….  
  
He went to get a closer look, and to his delight, found that the crimson mark was dried blood. He was smiling so large, it almost hurt. With a subtle movement of his hands, he bent the brick from out of the wall, and grabbed it from the air.  
  
 _Game. Set. Match._  
  
There was no escaping him now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are building up...
> 
> I had a lot of fun, writing a chapter from mostly Mai's perspective. She's the best, and I love getting to explore her character. 
> 
> Also, hey friends, I hope everyone is doing alright! Once again, thank you for all the kind words and love on this story, it really means a lot!
> 
> Have a great rest of your week!


	10. Chapter 10

The walk back to the house was tense -- Mai’s realization and all that it implied weighed heavy on the trio.   
  
The man who’d followed them had been a Dai Li agent...or at least, he used to be one. They didn’t know what he was after, or who he was working for (or if he was working for anyone, for that matter.) It was decided that the best course of action was to go back to the house and tell Zuko about the encounter as soon as possible.

Ty Lee hummed to herself as the group walked, more for her own comfort than anything else. She was lost in her own thoughts, silently trying to make sense of the situation. They were traveling with Aang, and most likely,  _ he  _ was the intended target. He was the Avatar after all, and he wasn’t exactly hard to miss. Still, it wasn’t lost on Ty Lee that the Dai Li was an organization that Azula had a personal connection to. It felt like too much of a coincidence. 

Something bumped against her shoulder -- snapping Ty Lee from her thoughts. Mai had nudged her. Ty Lee looked up at the older girl, who was giving her a look -- a silent question, asking if Ty Lee was okay. 

Ty Lee responded with a smile -- the biggest one she could muster. She knew that Mai was also shaken by the situation, and Ty Lee didn’t want her friend to be worried about her on top of everything else. Judging by the way Mai’s eyes narrowed at her, the older girl knew exactly what Ty Lee was trying to pull. However, before Mai could confront her about it, Ty Lee skipped a couple of steps ahead. 

They were almost back at the house.   
  
Most houses that belonged to noble families were secluded estates, far away from the rest of the populous. Ty Lee’s family home, however, was square in the middle of a bustling neighborhood. The road leading up to the house was filled with various shops, cafes, homes, and gardens. Ty Lee let herself relax, just a little bit -- embracing the warm familiarity of the neighborhood she grew up in.

The area had an extra bit of charm that afternoon. The trio was passed by a group of children, laughing and yelling as they played a round of chase. A group of musicians busked on the street corner, delighting a small crowd.

Ty Lee’s thought drifted again...she wondered if Azula had traveled this road, bleeding from her shoulder and side. Had anyone seen her in her desperate trek? Or had her pain gone unnoticed, as the rest of the neighborhood slept? Ty Lee felt her stomach churn. It was hard to imagine anything like that could happen here. This whole trip had made Ty Lee realize just how close to home this whole situation was.

The smell of fresh bread wafted through the air as the group passed a bakery. Auntie Lu’s Bakery -- one of her favorite places as a kid. It was a smaller store, nothing to fancy. However, the small shop was home to some of the greatest sweets in the world. Whenever Mai and Azula would come over as kids, they made it a point to buy as many treats from the shop as they could.    
  
That’s when Ty Lee stopped...suddenly having an idea.

“Hey,” she said, breaking the group’s long silence. She gestured to the bakery, and grinned, “What if we made one last detour?”

* * *

Azula was doing everything in her power not to look Zuko or Katara in their eyes...a feat that was made much easier by the fact her vision was blurring more and more by the minute. 

She felt Katara's hand rested on the wound on her shoulder -- and the cold, stinging sensation that was starting to feel familiar. Her brother’s hand on her back, supporting her in a sitting position. Not only was she too weak to eat, she was too weak to  _ sit.  _

If Azula wasn’t so exhausted, she’d be mortified. 

_ “ _ What do you feel right now?” Katara asked, her voice steady and professional.    
  
Azula didn’t know where to begin answering that question. Her first instinct was to deflect from the question, to give a snarky answer that would make Katara’s job that much harder. 

But she didn’t have it in her right now, desperate for any kind of relief from the pain and discomfort she felt.

“...It stings,” she said. Azula wasn’t sure, but it felt like Katara’s healing became colder. She shuttered. 

The room was silent for a moment. Briefly, Azula glanced behind her to look at her brother and her healer. More and more, their figures were becoming blurred shapes and colors. Still, Azula could make out the heavy circles under Katara’s eyes. Even in Azula’s current state, she could see how much energy Katara was putting into healing her. 

Of all of the Avatar’s allies, the waterbender intrigued her the most. Even in their earliest encounters, back when Azula had been tasked with tracking her brother and uncle, it was clear that Katara was dangerous. Azula had observed how resourceful the waterbender was, being able to hold her own with barely any water. 

Then came their fight underneath the palace of Ba Sing Se, where Azula had observed the strength the waterbender possessed first hand. The pure control Katara had over her element, like every drop of water was a part of her being. There had been a couple of moments during that fight where Katara would have gotten the better of her, had Zuko not chosen her side.    
  
Then came the moment when Azula had struck down the Avatar with her lightning. She remembered the waterbender’s wail as she watched her friend fall and the way she rushed to his side. Azula remembered the tears streaming down Katara’s face as she held Aang close. She remembered how the waterbender had looked at her, and the hatred that lay behind her eyes -- pure murderous intent.

On the day of the eclipse, when Azula had been tasked to act as her father’s decoy, she’d been relieved that the waterbender hadn’t been with the Avatar. Azula had never told anyone, but she was convinced that if Katara had been there, the waterbender would have killed her that day. 

And then of course, was the day of Sozin's Comet…

Suddenly, the pain in her shoulder twisted. Azula yelped, sucking in a deep breath. 

“You’re pushing yourself too much,” Katara said, in the beginnings of a lecture. The pain twisted more, and Azula could only grimace, “I’m also worried that you haven’t had anything to eat or drink. You’re dehydrated, and you need nutrients if you want any hope of recovering.”   
  
Azula’s mouth was painfully dry -- she knew Katara was right. But her stomach felt so queasy, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to hold anything down. Azula turned her attention to the side table, a new cup with equally offensive liquid had replaced the one she’d knocked over.    
  
“I thought I made it clear I’m not drinking that,” Azula grumbled. She heard Katara sigh.

“Then at least have some water,” a small torrent of water appeared before Azula, forming itself into a small ball. The water hovered neatly in front of Azula’s face, and the firebender could catch glimpses of her reflection. She could see her golden eyes, bloodshot and sunken, looking back at her. Strands of loose black hair clung to her face with sweat.

She looked as pathetic as she felt.   
  
“Drink this,” Katara said, bringing the ball closer to Azula’s face, “I won’t let it spill, I promise.”

With her uninjured arm, Azula slowly lifted a hand, instinctively cupping the water. She brought her face closer, and after some hesitation, she took the smallest of sips from the floating orb.

The water felt cool against her lips, and her dry mouth relished the sensation. Azula let out a breath, feeling some relief.

“Feel better?” Zuko asked from behind her -- it was the first thing he’d said to her, after getting Katara. 

“I’m totally cured now, Zuzu, thanks for asking,” Azula replied. Maybe the return of her dry wit was a good sign. Maybe the water had been all she’d needed.

But the feeling was soon replaced, as a strong wave of nausea overtook her.

“You should drink more,” Katara said, holding the orb of water in front of Azula. The former princess shook her head. 

Azula was expecting another lecture -- about how just a sip of water wouldn’t do her any good. Instead, Katara pulled the orb away.

“Let me know when you’re ready for more,” The waterbender said, surprisingly understanding. 

There was a knock at the door.    
  
“Zuko,” It was Mai. Azula turned her head to look, barely being able to make out her form. Behind her, Azula could see the blurred forms of Ty Lee and The Avatar, “We need to speak to you, it’s urgent.”   
  
From what Azula knew, Ty Lee, Mai, and Aang had gone off, investigating Azula’s account of what had happened to her. Azula wondered if they’d found the corpse of the man who’d attacked her. She wondered if maybe the man had been important -- or maybe he had a family who wanted her to reckon with what she’d done.

“I’ll be right there,” Zuko said. She felt Katara grab onto her other shoulder, holding her up, as Zuko got up to meet Mai. Azula felt some relief, as she watched as Ty Lee slipped past him and take his place behind her. As she moved, Azula could smell something sweet….something almost….cinnamony. 

“Hey,” she said gently, placing a firm hand behind her. Her hand was warm, and Azula felt goosebumps form at the touch, “I heard you had a rough morning.”

“You could say that,” Azula replied. She found words were coming to her, just a little bit easier.

“Well, I brought you something…” Ty Lee said, an extra chirp in her voice. Azula heard the sound of paper crumpling, and the sweet cinnamon smell became stronger, “We stopped by Auntie Lu’s Bakery on the way back, and I remembered how much you loved her cinnamon rolls when we were kids…”

“Oh,” The sound fell from her lips unintentionally...she hadn’t been expecting Ty Lee to bring her back a gift. Ty Lee was absolutely right, Auntie Lu’s cinnamon buns had been one of her favorite treats as a kid. She hadn’t had one since….her father had been crowned as the Fire Lord. She’d been forbidden to keep going to the shop….eating at a bakery for  _ commoners _ was unbefitting of a princess, after all. 

Briefly, her mouth watered at the smell. It’d been so long since she’d had one...but soon, the familiar nausea took its place. Her hopes for cinnamony goodness dashed by the revelation she wouldn’t be able to hold it down.

“I can’t,” she said, and the room fell to silence. She felt Ty Lee’s hand on her back tense...she probably thought that Azula was trying to be difficult. What else would she think? A pang of guilt formed in Azula’s chest…, and she quickly added, “...thank you, Ty Lee.”

“...You’re welcome,” Ty Lee replied, and Azula couldn’t ignore the surprise that was in her voice. She clenched her fists. The guilt was still there.

“...You should give them to everyone else,” Azula said, after a while.    
  
“What?” Ty Lee’s exclaimed, her voice having gone up a few pitches. Clearly, that wasn’t what she was expecting Azula to say. Not that Azula could blame her. She’d never been known for her generosity. 

“Yeah,” Azula confirmed, “I don’t think I can stomach them...besides, they’re not good after a day. They deserve to be enjoyed fresh….I guess.”

The words felt weird as she spoke them, as it was one of the most genuine things she’d said in a while. She wasn’t trying to deceive anyone, or manipulate someone or a situation. She just...wanted Ty Lee to know she was grateful for the gesture. For everything.  
  
“Well... if you’re sure.”

“I am.” 

Ty Lee’s grip on her back became firmer, and Azula felt her heart flutter. She heard a soft chuckle come from Katara.

“You’ve got some color back in your face,” the healer said, a new lightness to her voice, “Not much...just a little pink.”

Azula had the feeling that Katara was implying something else, but before she could respond, Ty Lee exclaimed, “That’s good!”

And with the optimism in the acrobat’s voice, Azula couldn’t help but smile, just a little bit. She still felt nauseous. Her injuries still hurt like nothing else. She was still unsure if she’d be able to drink any more water, without throwing up.

But in that moment, she felt that as long as Ty Lee was with her, she’d be able to pull through. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I promise I'm not dead! School has been...a lot. But I haven't forgotten about my stories (especially this one) so don't you worry!
> 
> Thanksgiving Break starts this week. In theory, that means updates (...in theory.)
> 
> Still, thanks so much for the love you all have given this story. Even at my busiest with schoolwork, it's been a nice reminder that people are enjoying the things I've made. Even if I haven't been able to update as frequently, it's definitely been encouraging. So thank you!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


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